


We Walked Down This Road

by TheButcherOfBlaviken



Series: Bookends [32]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Childhood Trauma, Domestic Fluff, Established Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, F/F, F/M, Family Feels, Fluff, For backstory, Good Parent Lillian Luthor, High School, Human Experimentation, Lena Luthor Needs a Hug, Lex Luthor Being an Asshole, Major Character Injury, Married Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Middle Aged Kara and Lena, Past Abuse, Second times the charm, Sibling Bonding, Teenage Drama, Therapy, just know kara and lena have twins and a son, you could read the others
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:55:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 22
Words: 68,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23242864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheButcherOfBlaviken/pseuds/TheButcherOfBlaviken
Summary: Lena opened the back door for Kara and put a hand on her cheek.“Be careful” the brunette kissed her, and Kara smiled.“Always”——-After well over a decade of domestic bliss, the Danvers meet a new family member and their lives are flipped upside down. The path to their new normal though is a bumpy one. When your life includes (and is not limited to) evil scientists, crushes, siblings and high school, anything could happen.
Relationships: Alex Danvers/Kelly Olsen, Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Series: Bookends [32]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1592278
Comments: 330
Kudos: 309





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mercy_fo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mercy_fo/gifts), [LunaPris](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunaPris/gifts), [dasschmitt](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dasschmitt/gifts), [kldzl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kldzl/gifts), [Jesse2](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jesse2/gifts), [LeelaN](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeelaN/gifts), [ald2106](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ald2106/gifts).



> hello once again! you may have already seen this one but i deleted and posted it again. i got a comment from Lunapris and it got me thinking. i totally agreed with them so i stayed up late and scrapped the original ending and came up with this. and i gotta say i like this one much better. you totally changed the course of this story and i thank you! comments like that help me write better and i appreciate all of you! i hope you guys like this new version! let me know what you think! until next time! stay safe out there! this one is based off the fleetwood mac song family man. kinda.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a new opponent arrives?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anyone just joining in, youre probably going to be confused so i highly suggest going back to at least american tune in this series and then going forward. itll provide the backstory thats kinda needed for this one.

“ _Let’s talk about this son”_ Kara had her hands in front of her, doing her best to calm down her opponent.

“ _Who are you!”_ a teenager, no more than 16, yelled at her in Kryptonian. He was dressed in a hospital gown, his face red and angry. His dark hair was covered in sweat and hung over his eyes. The poor thing looked disheveled and scared and Kara refused to hurt him.

“ _I’m your friend, I promise!”_ This did nothing to convince the teen.

He ran forward and body checked her, sending Kara to the ground 30 feet away. Asphalt splashed up like water, falling all around the empty street. She did her best to climb back out of the Supergirl shaped crater but not fighting back was taking its toll.

He slammed into her again, her head hitting the ground hard. She saw spots but did her best to get back up. He was feet away and coming closer.

“ _I just want to help you Connor!”_ she cried as she limped towards him.

_** 1 hour earlier ** _

Kara waltzed into the Danvers kitchen, super suit already on. Her family was finally up and eating breakfast. Lena was at work making everyone’s lunches, paper bags neatly lined up on the counter. Her hair was up in a loose bun, her striking gray streak hanging over her eye.

“Morning family!” Kara announced to everyone, making the rounds and leaving kisses on top of the kid’s heads. It seemed none of them were particularly happy about being up early, as the children simply mumbled and grumbled into their food.

“Tough crowd” Kara joked as she grabbed a mug and filled it with coffee.

“You would be too if you had to go to school Jeju!” Lori answered aggressively, the 7-year-old pouting at her over her shoulder.

She was a leader type already, the minute she walked onto the playground, all eyes were on her. It was like Lena’s CEO mode, but somehow scarier.

“Give me a break, at least you have nap time” Zorel pointed accusingly at his sister with his fork, a piece of pancakes hanging from the end.

Their 15-year-old had mostly gotten accustomed to high school, joining a few clubs and extra curriculars for fun and to make friends. His teenage experience is going much better then either her or Lena’s had for sure.

“10th grade can’t be that bad, your work is actually challenging” Lyle frowned, adjusting his glasses. The boy had taken after Lena so much it was like looking at a clone sometimes.

He begged to go to high school with his brother, but they thought it would be best for him to be around kids his own age. They had to get a tutor for him to not feel bored in school.

Kara was starting to feel old; her children were growing up, Zorel was asking her to teach him to drive and if he could get a summer job at the mall. Not to mention the changes to her own life.

Cat Grant was finally preparing to retire and was once again selling Catco to Lena. She originally wanted to give the company to Kara, but she refused. She was happy writing and thought being the CEO would prevent her from doing that.

According to Lena though, she wouldn’t be taking control in order to avoid favoritism. Instead, their favorite assistant would be taking the reins. The last part was just telling Jess. She had more than earned it.

Zorel smirked at his brother’s remark, leaning over to try and whisper behind his hand.

“Want to do my geometry work then?” Kara whipped around but Lena beat her to the punch.

“Zorel Danvers, you are not having your little brother cheat for you!” she pointed at him, knife covered in peanut butter as she made Lori’s sandwiches. The boys deflated at that.

“But mom he likes to do it! I’m really helping him!” Lena turned her eyebrow up and Zorel stopped immediately, turning his attention back to his breakfast. Kara shook her head with a smile. Lena may be as domestic and friendly as they come but she can still be CEO Lena when the time called for it at home.

She looked at her watch and set the mug down. Seems duty calls.

“Well looks like I have to get going, got a raid Alex says they need my help on” Kara kissed Lena on the cheek and made her way to the sliding glass door to their little backyard.

“Can I come Jeju? I can help!” Zorel got up from his seat and ran to the door, keeping Kara from opening it.

He had been asking her this for years, since the minute his powers came in. they had taken to practicing at the DEO and he saw most everything that happened inside. He was basically an intern, even if they didn’t want him to be.

“Zorel, we’ve talked about this. When you’re 18 and if that’s what you wanna do, then yes.” Kara tried to pull the handle but Zorel was still stopping her.

“Come on, I practically know everything about it, just let me come” her son begged, giving her sad eyes.

“You’re 15 Zorel, what kind of parent would I be If I let you do that?” Kara continued to plead with him till Lena stepped in. she put her hands on Zorel’s shoulders and looked at him.

“Listen to her Zorel. Besides, school comes first, and you have a history test today young man” their son groaned and left the kitchen, running back up to his room. Kara sighed and rubbed her eyes.

“He’ll understand eventually. Just get going” Lena opened the back door for Kara and put a hand on her cheek.

“Be careful” the brunette kissed her, and Kara smiled halfheartedly.

“Always” the hero told her and went to the backyard as the twins said their goodbyes. Looking back, she took off and headed to the DEO.

When she landed, the main area was bustling with activity, agents walking quickly in all directions. At the mission control, Kara could see Nia, James, and J’onn standing beside Alex. Her sister spotted her and waved her down.

“Glad you’re here, I was just about to go over everything.” Alex pressed a button on the holotable, and a warehouse popped up.

“We have reason to believe Lex Luthor has established a research facility in this old LuthorCorp warehouse.”

“Wait hold up, I thought he was in Arkham?” James asked, his suit glowing and lighting up his face.

“He is, which is why we need to approach with extra caution. Who knows how long this place has been sitting there and what he did to it” Alex zoomed out, showing the surrounding area. It was on the edge of the city, thankfully away from any populace areas.

“James, you and J’onn will secure the perimeter with alpha squad while Kara and Nia sweep the facility with bravo. I’m hoping this will just be a quick in and out, but you never know with that man” Alex looked around the table.

“I know this is a seemingly simple mission but stay on your toes” Alex shut the hologram off.

“We’ll meet you all there” Nia told the director, the four heroes walking to the balcony. Kara picked up Dreamer and they were off. when they arrived, they decided to wait for the DEO, taking time to catch up.

“How’s school going James?” Kara asked. The young man smiled.

“Pretty good. Callie has been a big help with my history class.” Kara nodded at him. Kara had to give her niece credit; the girl was not giving up on James. They were both going to school for the same thing and with the same goal in mind, so it was inevitable they would be together a lot. She had a feeling that was Callie’s plan all along.

“You know neither of you have to get a degree, Alex would hire both of you on the spot” Nia nodded at that.

“Yeah and I mean you practically work here already” James just shook his head at two of them.

“No, no, we want to earn it. We want to do the same process as everyone else” they all turned as the DEO convoy arrived. The elder Danvers sister climbed out first and surveyed the building.

“Alright you guys know what to do, lets get moving” Alex told everyone, and the teams were off. Kara ran over to the warehouse loading dock and lifted the door up. There was hardly anything inside, the building looking like it had seen better days.

The rafters were rusted, and some seemed to have fallen, there were holes of all sizes in the walls and Nia jumped when a rat ran past her leg. The building just smelled like the color brown if she was honest. There was only a single storage container sitting in the middle of the building.

Kara knew something was off about the container when she tried to use her x-ray vision and couldn’t see inside. She motioned for the agents to move and they spread out, surrounding the container. Slowly Kara made her way over to the box, Nia standing guard next to it, and she could now hear something going on inside.

When she reached for the handles, something flew out, sending Nia to the ground and leaving a giant hole, the metal ripped and distorted. Nia groaned on the floor but didn’t get back up.

_Sorry Nia_ Kara mentally apologized as knowing she’s alive meant she could focus on whatever was happening.

Kara followed the objects path, seeing a bleeding Lex lodged in the far wall, a smile on his face. He was wearing a stripped down Lexosuit that looked like it too had seen better days.

Kara dared to peek her head into the container and saw a scared boy. He looked much like Zorel, their faces complete copies except for the hair, this boy’s hair was jet black. He was dressed in a hospital gown, and he was soaking wet. He shivered where he was crouched, looking at the wall.

Kara approached carefully and crouched down. The boy looked at her, his eyes hollow and confused as he sat inside a broken glass container sat up against the metal wall. She smiled.

“I’m Kara, what’s your name?” she offered her hand and he flinched. This terrified her, what had this kid been through? Her eyes drifted to his chest, which read Connor in small letters.

“Hi Connor, it’s nice to meet you” she put her hand on his shoulder and he grabbed her arm. Kara though this meant progress till he flung her away effortlessly, right next to where Lex still sat. the man began to pull himself out and fell on the ground.

“Now Connor, you shouldn’t hurt me, I saved you” Lex was still smiling as the boy stepped out of the container. The agents were confused as to who they should point their guns at. When Lex got close to the boy, Connor’s eyes started to glow. Lex pointed behind him where Kara still sat.

“It was her. She did this to you, not me” Connor looked confused, not able to decide who he should be angry at. He was shaking, his hands clenched by his sides as he looked back and forth between them. He must not have wanted to miss any possibilities as in a flash he grabbed both her and Lex and flew off.

They crashed through the walls of the warehouse and were taken high up. Kara watched as he looked around and locked on to a street somewhere below. He flew down at an incredible speed and slammed them into the ground. Kara had the wind knocked out of her and Lex was unconscious on the floor.

“ _You can’t hurt me now!”_ Connor yelled in Kryptonese, further complicating the situation.

_A Kryptonian? Where did he come from?_

Kara had these questions in her mind as his grip on her neck tightened. She could feel it, his strength equal or even greater than her own if that was the case. She pried his hands off and backed up.

People were running away in all directions as the two stood across from each other, a silent standoff.

“ _I don’t want to hurt you Connor, I can help you”_ the teen shook his head and walked forward. Kara’s comm crackled in her ear.

_“Kara? Where did you go? wait for back up!” Alex yelled int o her ear._

_“_ No can-do Al. This kid is angry and Kryptonian” Kara stood her ground as Connor advanced on her, his fists at his sides as he stomped. His feet left small imprints on the ground, as if he were walking in sand.

“ _What? How is that even- never mind, James is almost there. Just hold on!”_

_** Present ** _

__

“She can’t help you Connor! Only I can!” Lex stumbled around behind the other Kryptonian; his steps almost unsure. Connor stopped and just looked at him over his shoulder for a second. He turned around and watched the Luthor, who smiled.

“That’s it, come with me. We can do spectacular things together kid” Lex put his hand out, Connor taking it slowly. Lex thought he had won, even Kara thought he had won, until Connor bent his arm backwards. A cracking sound followed, and Lex crumbled onto the ground, screaming.

Connor bent down and held him up above his head, eyes glowing red.

“ _Connor no! You don’t want to do that_!” Kara tried to go over and grab his arm, but she was flung to the side, hitting the building there and falling to the ground. Kara watched with hazy vision as Connor turned his attention back to Lex.

The Luthor was struggling against the boy’s hold but it was no use. He kicked his feet for a few seconds, till Kara heard a snap and the man went still. Lex Luthor, a man who had followed her and Lena for years with his evil deeds, was now dead in the middle of the street. Connor turned on her next, walking with purpose to where she was lying. his face was still beet red, sweat dripping down his forehead, soaking through his clothes. 

Kara willed herself to get up, slowly putting one leg under her. Her body was broken and it in no way felt right to be fighting this poor kid, who was scared beyond belief. His eyes looked so much like the ones that looked back at her in the mirror when she first came to this planet and she understood him in a way. The DEO is almost here, and he will hopefully get the help he needs.

But he wasn’t listening, and she had to do something. He was ripping apart downtown National City and it had to stop. When this was over they could figure out how to help him but right now, the best way to help him was to put him to sleep.

Lena promised pizza for dinner, she was supposed to help Lori with her science fair project while Lyle learned how to play Halo with Zorel. She had plans and Connor was going to have to deal with that fact. Shes a mom who has already been down that sacrifice road a few times. Today was going to be different then before, because today's Kara wasn’t the same one as last time.

This Kara has a lot more on the line this time and that made all the difference.

Connor stared her down from his spot on the street. His breathing was heavy as he got closer to her. Kara put her fists up and pushed off the ground, flying circles around the boy, who was unable to keep up. She was burning more energy going this fast, but Kara was on a mission.

He reached for her, too slow to grab her. She picked up a car and threw it, the boy smiling as he caught it easily, holding it like a prize above his head.

_Got ya_ she smirked and swooped in behind him. He hadn’t realized the plan as she grabbed him around the neck, holding him in a head lock. he threw the car off to the side and put his hands on top of her straining arms.

“ _I’m sorry I have to do this kid_ ” she told him. He struggled against her grasp, clawing at her arms in order to break free. She realized he was sobbing as he pulled on her arms, the action breaking her heart. There was no use as she brought him down to the ground. His struggling slowly came to a stop, his arms hanging by his side, eyes closed.

As she sat there, the boys head in her lap, James landed on the ground next to them and ran over. He looked around the street, Kara giving him a thumbs up. The area had been mostly saved from damage which was one plus to this situation. Both her and Connor were intact, another plus. Lex Luthor was another matter entirely.

She refused to allow the last things she said to Zorel be in frustration. She didn’t say I love you to her family today and that was a something at the top of her list too.

But there was no denying the exhaustion setting in. fighting a Kryptonian with no concept of their power takes a lot out of you, especially when you’re over 40. James reached out to grab her hand but when she stood up, she fell straight back down.

James put his finger to his ear, obviously talking to someone but she couldn’t tell who. Another person landed beside them as Kara swore, she heard sirens.

J’onn looking down at her was the last thing she saw before she passed out. A thought passed quickly through her mind.

_I’m getting too old for this_


	2. All Our Thoughts Are Misgiving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena learns some unsettling news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello again! the title comes from stairway to heaven. hope everyone is doing well. my school is still out so got another one for you. i put quite a bit of work into this one so its satisfying to finish. this part though is not over! im still mulling over how long its gonna be but i did put a potential number of chapters. the more i think about it the longer it gets! the next few are most likely going to take place right after each other. i hope you guys like this one, youve all been great help and motivation in the comments so huge thanks! let me know what you think. until next time! stay safe everybody!!!!

“Okay kids in the car, don’t want to be late” Lena yelled out the front door. She rubbed her forehead and doubled back to the stairs. Another day in the Danvers household is underway. If only Zorel could remember where he put his left shoe. She looked up to the second floor and saw her oldest son come barreling towards her.

“I’m telling you mom it was in the hallway!” Zorel cried as he ran down the stairs. He looked around the living room and lifted the couch, peeking under to see if his red converse was hiding there. Lena rolled her eyes. 

“How many times do I have to tell you? Don’t keep your shoes in the hallway! Krypto can take them like that” Lena walked over to their dog’s bed, where their 5-year-old cat Streaky sat licking herself. Lena bent down and grabbed the missing shoe which luckily didn’t have any bite marks this time. 

“Keep your shoes in your room and this won’t happen, now let’s go!” Zorel took the shoe and slipped it on, not bothering to tie it as they were running behind. Lori and Lyle sat patiently in Lena’s car as the two ran over. Halfway there Zorel tripped on his shoelace, falling and cracking their driveway. 

“Honey just tie your shoe. I’ll write a note for you three, so you won’t get in trouble” Lena opened the car door and sat, pulling a slip of paper from the extra notepad Kara kept in the glove compartment. She had only written the first sentence when her phone rang. 

She looked to the caller ID and was surprised to see Alex calling her so early. She hit accept and held the phone to her ear using her shoulder as she continued to write. 

“Hey Alex. Can this be quick? Me and the kids are running late” she told her as she doted her I’s and crossed her T’s. 

“ _Hey Lena, I’m sorry but there’s been an accident. Kara’s here in the med bay_.” Lena stopped writing and stared at her lap. 

“ _And you might want to bring the kids. Once they hear from everyone else, they won’t want to go to school_ ” Lena dropped her pen, the little piece of plastic falling and finding its way between the two front seats.

Lena cursed in her head. They had been doing so good! Kara hadn’t been in the med bay for years. Her powers hadn’t blown out in the same amount of time too. Earth was calm for the most part so this must have been serious to warrant a med bay visit for her wife. Lena was undoubtably worried. Kara was hurt and there wasn’t that much she could do for her until she got to the DEO. 

“Is she okay?” Lena asked shakily. The kids were catching on, Lori leaning between the two front seats to listen better. Zorel finally made his way to the front seat and watched his mom with furrowed brows. 

“ _Mostly. She’s out cold right now, a little banged up. I’ll explain more when you get here_ ” Lena nodded even though she knew Alex couldn’t see her. 

“Yeah we’re on our way. Call me if anything major happens before I get there” they said their goodbyes as Lena hung up. She stared at her phone as the screen went dark. She hadn’t realized her eyes were watering till Lyle tapped her shoulder. She quickly wiped them away and did her best to smile at the three concerned faces watching her. 

“What’s going on mom?” Zorel asked, his leg shaking up and down. 

“We have to go to the DEO. Something happened to your Jeju. She’s hurt. “the last word was a struggle to say. The twins gasped, Lyle’s eyes watering and lip wobbling as the words came out of her mouth. The last time something like this had happened Zorel was small, the twins not even born yet. This was new territory that Lena had hoped they wouldn’t have to know but knew in the back of her mind they would. 

Next to her Zorel was looking down at his hands, which were shaking. She knew this would be hard on him after his and Kara’s talk this morning. She had a feeling he now felt guilty about arguing but she would do her best to show him he had nothing to feel bad about. 

“She’s okay but we have to go to Aunt Alex’s job now okay?” Lyle was full on crying while Lori did her best to keep her tears from falling. Lena reaches out and put one hand on Lyle’s knee. She rubbed her thumb in circles. She wanted to join him in crying, but she had to be tough for them right now. She knows Kara had been though worse than this, but years of peace and domesticity have made her soft. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it just meant any time this happened she would be sucker punched by it.

“Everything will be okay kids, I promise” Lena wipes a tear from Lori’s cheek and turned back in her seat. Zorel was looking out the window now, using his hand to cover his eyes, glasses pushed up to his forehead. As she pulled out the driveway, she grabbed his other hand. 

“It’s gonna be alright” she whispered, turning and going down their street. Lena did her best during the car ride, trying to talk to her kids and keep their minds from the worst. She couldn’t tell how well it was going, Lyle still silently crying in his car seat while Lori comforted him. 

The quicker they get to the DEO, the faster they could soothe their nerves. 

After a silent drive, they finally pulled into the DEO parking lot. Lena went about helping the twins out but turned and watched her oldest son as there was sniffling from his direction. Zorel looked ready to rip the door off its hinges as he pushed the door open and ran. Lena called for him, but it was no use as he ran inside the DEO. 

Lena quickly got the kids out and locked the door, walking briskly to the buildings entrance, where the guards knew to let her in without question. She walked into the command center, the twins holding her hands. Lyle’s crying had tapered off to sniffling finally as she looked around the room. She saw Zorel frantically talking with Alex, who had her hands on his shoulders as she looked down at him. 

Lena went over to Alex, who nodded at her. Her sister in laws face was serious as she watched her come. Zorel turned his head to her but quickly turned away. With that brief glimps, Lena finally got a good look at his face since telling them what happened to Kara. His eyes were red and irritated, most likely from rubbing them to keep the tears away. 

“Aunt Alex you have to take me to see her! I have to say I’m sorry!” Zorel pulled on Alex’s shirt, holding fist fulls of it as he pleaded. 

“I will take you bud, but we have to wait for your mom” Alex used the most soothing voice she had but it wasn’t helping to calm the boy down. He cried harder. 

“But I have to tell Jeju before she goes away again!” He yelled, burying his face in Alex’s neck this time. His aunt rubbed his back and continued to try and calm him down. Lena finally made it with the twins in tow. Lena had never really heard his full feelings about Kara being gone, him always brushing it off before. seeing him like this broke her heart.

“She’s not going anywhere Zorel. It’s gonna be fine but you have to calm down first” 

Lena let go of Lori’s hand for a second and pulled Zorel from Alex. She had caught most of what he said, and it broke her heart. He turned his head and cried into her shoulder this time. 

Of all her children, only Zorel knew what it was like to only have one parent. He knew what a world without Kara was and just like Lena, he didn’t want to experience that ever again. Lena had no desire to be a single parent and she wasn’t about to start now. The only thing that would calm them down now was news. 

“How is she?” Alex smiled 

“She’s asleep. Blew her powers out and took a bit of a beating. She passed out mainly due to head injuries and exhaustion. We expect her to wake up within the next 24 hours, once the drugs we have her on wear off.” Alex bent down and picked up Lori, who immediately put her head down on Alex’s neck. Her eyes were still red, but the little girl had refused to succumb to crying. 

“Just know it looks a lot worse than it actually is” Lena nodded and turned her attention to Zorel, who was sobbing still. 

  
“It’s okay honey. Jeju is okay.” She repeated over and over to her oldest son, as he slowly stopped crying, only sniffling on her shoulder. Lyle let go of her hand and held onto his brothers. Zorel held his hand tightly as Lyle went in for a hug. Lena felt like crying at the sight. She would have to tell Kara later that they did a good job with them. 

  
“Where is she?” Lena asked. Alex Turned and gestured for them to follow. They walked down the bustling halls of the DEO into the med bay, where only one room was in use. Alex set Lori down and grabbed the doorknob, looking at everyone. 

“Just remember to be gentle kids. She’s healing and it’ll go faster if you’re gentle” the Danvers children nodded, and Alex opened the door. Lena did her best not to, but she couldn’t help the small gasp that came from her mouth. 

Kara was laid up in bed, blanket pulled up to her chest as she slept. There were a few scratches on her face and her hair was cut shorter, showing a cut stitched closed on the side of her head. Her arms were wrapped up, only her fingers showing. 

“I’ll give you guys a second. Come get me when you’re ready, we have to talk” Alex whispered with her hand on Lena’s arm. She squeezed and went to stand in the hallway beside the door. 

Zorel made his way inside and sat down in the chair next to Kara. His siblings followed suit, Lori hoping up into Zorel’s lap while Lyle stood beside them, looking over the side of the bed at Kara. Lena finally followed and watched their children. Lori reached forward and held one of Kara’s fingers, Lyle doing the same. Zorel stared blankly at his Jeju, his eyes beginning to water again. Lena rubbed his back and looked at her wife. She was peacefully sleeping and that made Lena feel tremendously better. 

She leaned forward and placed a slow kiss on Kara’s lips. 

“I’ll be right back darling” she whispered into her wife’s lips. She brushed away the short hair on her forehead as she backed away. 

“I need to talk to Aunt Alex. Will you guys watch your Jeju for me?” They all nodded, and Lena waved to them as she walked out. Alex was leaning against the wall, foot propped up on the wall. She sat up when Lena walked out. 

The brunette closed the door behind her and together they walked down the hall. Where would Lena even begin? This was complete opposite of what today should have been. She still hadn’t even called Jess to let he know she wasn’t coming. Not to mention the strongly worded phone call she would get from both Zorel’s and the twins’ schools about their absence. 

“What the hell happened?” Lena resisted the urge to yell, not wanting to let the kids know she was now at the angry stage. 

“Your brother” Alex answered as she rounded a corner and walked down a flight of stairs. Lena scoffed. 

“Of course, it was him. Where is that asshole? I need to give him a piece of my mind!” The situation was really pushing her buttons now. She looked around, searching for wherever they were keeping him. There was no where Lex could hide from her, she would hunt him down to the ends of the universe for this stunt.

“You can’t” Alex looked away awkwardly at the landing of the stairs, stopping in her tracks

“And why is that? Does he not want to see me?? Because it that’s the case you can tell him to- “Alex grabbed Lena’s shoulder. The two of them stood alone on the landing, the sounds of the command center muted as Alex searched for words. The woman sighed.

“He’s dead” 

Lena was taken aback. Her brother, who had been plotting against her and her family for years, was gone. Part of her was completely relieved that she would no longer have to worry about him. A small part was sad, the part that remembered the brother who taught her chess and how to drive. That brother had been dead for a long time, but she still mourned the person that once was. 

“How? I thought he was in Arkham” Lena asked as they began to walk again. 

“He was. Until a few nights ago. He killed a guard, switched clothes and hid the body in his own bed” Lena cringed. Alex punched the railing of the stairs as she walked down.

“it’s not even that he had a brilliant escape plan. They thought the guard was just skipping out on work. Didn’t even bother to do a thorough search of the cells.” Alex’s voice was rising. The stairs ended and they rounded corner after corner, Alex letting out her frustrations as they went. 

“I had been petitioning the president for months to close that place. Now we have two people dead, Kara in the hospital, and this kid!” They walked through the cell area of the DEO and stopped near the end, where a young boy was strapped down to a bed, asleep. His face looked familiar, but it was hard to tell with the harsh red lights beaming down on him. 

“Who’s that?” Lena pointed at the boy in front of them. He couldn’t be much older than Zorel from what she could tell.

“A clone. He’s what Lex was working on. He’s also the one who killed him” Lena snapped her head to look at Alex, who had her arm up against the glass of the cell. Her eyes were trained on the sleeping boy, his chest steadily going up and down under Alex’s intense stare.

“A clone of who? How long was Lex working on this?” questions ran through Lena’s mind at breakneck speed. 

“My guess? Lex had this in the works since before the crisis” Alex narrowed her eyes as one of the boy’s fingers twitched. Lena’s eyes widened. This child was held captive for well over a decade. Her and Kara were still not speaking when this plan was set into motion.

“And why is he locked up like that? Isn’t he a hero for getting rid of Lex Luthor?” Lena smiles but Alex shook her head. 

“Because he’s a Kryptonian clone” of course that was Lex’s plan. 

“We searched the warehouse we found them in. Nothing. But Lex’s suit had some plans. Seems he genetically engineered this boy to be the perfect Kryptonian warrior.” Lena followed along but her head was starting to spin. 

“Poor guy was subjected to a lot of testing. We examined him and found a lot of scars. Most were old, probably before he got his powers. it seems Lex didn’t account for him remembering what happened to him.” Lena felt terrible for the young boy. No child deserved torture, especially not just for living. The mere thought of it made her stomach turn and her anger spike. 

“Do we know where his genes come from? Clark?”

“That’s also why I needed you. He’s not Clark’s” Alex turned to look at her. She took a deep breath and Lena was nervous as to what would come out of her mouth. 

“He’s nearly genetically identical to Zorel. 50% to be exact” Lena covered her mouth with one hand, the other on the glass wall of the cell, attempting to hold her up. It didn’t work as she slowly began to descend. The weight of her world was coming crashing down on her and she currently wasn’t confident in her ability to hold it up any longer. 

“So, you’re saying- “Alex nodded, her face conveying an apology as best she could. 

“He’s yours. And Kara’s.” Alex whispered. The red head's eyes were watering as she looked her in the eye. She wished it was all a dream but the brunette couldn't even imagine a nightmare this _terrible_. Lena couldn’t handle this news, falling to the ground in a heap of crying and screams. Alex followed her down, wrapping her arms around Lena's back. 

  
she looked over to the cell, where this boy, her son, was locked up. She had four children this whole time but she was none the wiser. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing, what she was hearing. 

_No no no no_ Lena chanted to herself. In a single day her life and that of her family has been turned upside down. It’s like they were eggs and life was the fork mixing them around for breakfast. That asshole “brother” stole her and Kara’s DNA to benefit himself, regardless of who was hurt. This was beyond evil, even for him. 

“So, while Zorel was with us, playing baseball and having sleepovers, my other son was experimented on like some lab rat?!” Lena cried. 

She felt guilty. In the back of her mind she knew there was no way she could’ve known about him but her motherly instincts made her feel responsible all the same. Her child had never gotten to know love or kindness. Her brother didn’t even understand those concepts, so there’s no way he would show them to her son. Lex just had to have another laugh before he died, had to put her in her place one last time. 

She hated him before, but she utterly despised him now. She would ensure he was cremated, his ashes poured over a landfill to ensure he never could come back and hurt them again. 

“My baby Alex. He’s my baby and I wasn’t there” Lena was officially a wreck. How she wished Kara were here to help her right now. 

“It’s no one’s fault but Lex, Lena. Remember that” Alex whispered into her hair. They sat on the floor together while Lena collected herself. Tears soaked the front of Alex’s tactical suit but neither of them really cared. They sat like that for a few minutes, completely still while Lena let out her pain.

Alex was the first to speak.

“His name is Connor. That’s about all we know about him right now” Alex continued to rub her back. She didn’t get to pick his name like his siblings, but she adored it all the same. 

“What do we do now Alex?” Lena cried. 

“We’ll keep him under till Kara Wakes up. Then we can figure this out okay?” Lena nodded and began to pick herself up. Alex looked on worried. 

“We should get back to the kids.” Alex just nodded and they took the long walk back. Lena wiped at her eyes so as to not alarm anyone as they made their way through the building.

When they made it to the med bay, Lena went to the doorknob but heard her son’s voice and stopped. He was muffled but Lena could hear for the most part. She peeked through the window and smiled. 

The twins were asleep on either side of Kara, their bodies turned to their mother. They were curled up to keep from touching her. Zorel was still in the chair, now holding Kara’s fingers as he talked. 

“I’m sorry I argued with you Jeju. I didn’t mean to. I just want to be like you” the boy looked up to her face and frowned. Lena’s previous efforts to make herself presentable were for naught as she began to cry again. Lucky Kara got her waterproof makeup for her birthday.

“I love you Jeju. I’ll be good, I promise” he took a shaky breath in and leaned forward, taking his glasses off and putting his head on the edge of the hospital bed. His glasses hung loosely between his fingers as all three Danvers siblings had their eyes closed. 

They would all be okay but for now, there were two members of their family that needed their help. 

Lena turned to Alex 

“How do I explain this to the kids?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hit me up at geralt-of-fking-rivia on tumblr if youve got some prompts or anything, i dont bite swear


	3. I Am What I Am

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara wakes up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have returned! i made an outline and this is probably going to be somewhere around 10 chapters. i just keep coming up with ideas for connor's little journey here but we'll see what happens. let me know what you think of this quick one! youve all been super awesome! hope you like it. stay safe out there everybody. till next time friends!!

Kara could hear muffled voices around her. They were talking in quick tones and she could just barely make out what they were saying.

_“why wont you let me help mom!?”_ a voice she recognized as belonging to Zorel cried. She heard a sigh.

“ _we’ve explained it to you before Zorel. Please don’t argue right now”_ Lena sighed. There was shuffling around as more voices joined in.

“ _she’s right bud. You’ll get your turn in time. Just leave it for now”_ Kara wanted to smile at the sound of the ever-helpful aunt Nia, stepping in to help them out as usual. If anyone could get him to listen, it would be her.

It wasn’t enough though as the arguing continued and Kara had had enough. She did her best to move, to do anything to step in and stop it. All she could do was wiggle a finger and the arguing stopped. Mission accomplished. Sort of.

Someone came to her side and held her hand. Another hand came to her cheek.

“ _I think she’s waking up you guys.”_ Lena cried. There were a few cheers and more shuffling as Kara continued to try and move. She willed her eyes to open and slowly everything came into view.

The twins were standing by her feet, anxiously holding the end of the bed. Nia was standing off to the side with Zorel, who fell into the chair next to her and smiled. Lena’s eyes were watering as she rubbed her cheek with her thumb.

“Hey, no tears. I’m okay now” Kara squeezed her wife’s hand, her voice scratchy from sleep. She gingerly put her hand up and mimicked her wife, rubbing her cheek with a thumb.

“what were you guys arguing about?” Kara whispered. Lena just shook her head and leaned in to kiss her cheek. She stayed by her ear and whispered.

“Nothing new. I’ll Explain later” Kara just nodded as Lena looked away from her and at Zorel.

“Could you get your aunt Alex, honey?” Zorel nodded and bolted up, briskly walking out the door. Kara looked to her feet, where the twins still stood. She put her arms out.

“well I’m not gonna hug myself”

at that, the two kids ran forward, making their way on the bed and letting her wrap them in a tight hug.

“we were scared Jeju” Lyle mumbled into her shoulder. She kissed his head and put her chin down on his hair.

“I know. I’m sorry” her and Lena made eye contact as she held the twins. She knew they were going to have a candid talk, but it could wait till they got home.

“its okay Jeju. We forgive you” Lori placed a kiss on her cheek and dropped back down to her shoulder. Kara wanted to cry. What she did to have this family, she’ll never know. For how great the kids were acting, there was definitely some ice cream in their future.

Zorel came back into the room then, Alex in tow. Her sister smiled and walked around to look down at her.

“someone looks comfortable” she gestured to the children clinging to her.

“you’re just jealous.” Lori told her; eyes narrowed at her aunt. Alex put her hands up in surrender.

“maybe tiny, maybe. In any case, I need to talk to your parents, so I need you to get to steppin” Lori and Lyle sighed as they got up from their places on Kara’s arms. She was sad at the loss but knew she had to have a quick check up first.

Alex leaned over and whispered in Nia’s ear, who nodded. She cleared her throat and smiled.

“hey guys why don’t you come with me? James wanted help to test out a new jetpack for his suit” Nia grabbed onto the twin’s hands and gestured for Zorel to come. He looked at Kara and reluctantly followed.

“don’t you dare convince anyone to let you use it you three!” Lena cried after their children. There was a chorus of groans from the hallway at that. Alex began the checkup, asking various questions, checking charts, and pressing buttons on the monitor next to her bed that Kara didn’t know how to use.

“you’re all set, as expected. Your powers have been blown out and you’ve got a mild concussion but once your powers come back you won’t have anything to worry about” Alex flipped through some pages on a clipboard and turned to Lena.

They seemed to be having a silent conversation as Lena frowned and closed her eyes. She turned her head down to their joined hands and Kara was worried at to what they both knew.

“so, am I good to go?” Kara pulled her eyes from her wife to Alex who took a deep breath and nodded.

“yes but…” Kara stared tensely at her sister.

“but?” Lena finally looked up at her again and this time she was crying. Full on tears, her eyes red. Kara squeezed her hand and held her gaze.

“I think its best I tell you” Alex moved to sit down and when she opened her mouth again, Lena put up a hand to stop her.

“I can do it” Lena whispered, both hands now holding Kara’s right hand in a death grip.

“what’s going on you guys? You’re making me nervous” Alex put her head in her hands and Lena rubbed her hand with her thumb.

“the boy you fought, Connor. He was one of Lex’s test subjects” Kara nodded.

“I figured as much, poor kid. What was he doing?”

“using Kryptonian DNA, he wanted to make the perfect warrior.” Kara nodded, still following and not in the least bit surprised at what she was hearing.

“typical. Sounds like something he would do.” Kara nodded and leaned forward in the bed.

“well, whose DNA is it? He should be taken to his parents if they’re still alive” at that, Kara heard Lena take a sharp breath in. the brunettes eyes went back to their hands and she heard her mumble something.

“what?” Kara asked, unable to tell what she said. Lena looked up at her determined.

“ours” Kara felt her breath leave her lungs, the room flipping upside down.

“so, he’s…our son?” Kara’s voice was wobbly and unsure. She hoped it was all a big misunderstanding, but she knew Lena wouldn’t play around when it came to children. Her wife nodded.

Kara reeled at the information. She could kill Lex herself if he wasn’t already dead. She beat her own son, putting him in a head lock till he passed out, crying, and screaming while she did it. She felt like a monster, but not the level of Lex.

This was diabolical, the worst thing he could have ever done in her mind. He involved a child in his schemes and for that, there would never be redemption for him.

Kara moved to sit up, Lena attempting to stop her. Alex just stood aside, knowing there was nothing she could do now to stop her sister from seeing Connor.

“where is he?” Kara demanded as she put her feet on the floor. She tried to stand but she came right back down, her legs unable to hold her weight.

“Kara hold on, you can’t just get up yet” Lena did her best to calm her down, but Kara was on autopilot. She needed to see Connor, now.

“I don’t care if I have to crawl, I need to see him” she cried. Her eyes were threatening to water but did her best to hold it together. She couldn’t break down in front of her son, so the crying needed to end in this room. She needed to be strong right now. He no doubt had a bad first impression of her and she needed to make up for it.

“ill get you a wheelchair just hold on” Alex disappeared and came back with the chair, Kara motioning for her to hurry.

“we had to put him in a cell. We were just waiting for you to wake up so we could devise a real game plan” Alex told her as the three of them made their way into the depths of the DEO.

“its fine but eventually he’s coming home with us. That’s nonnegotiable.” Kara looked to Lena, who nodded in agreement.

“I would want nothing else for him Kara. But its gonna take time to get him there.” They turned a corner, ever closer to the cell block.

“has he done anything since you brought him here?” Kara asked, looking to her sister for an answer. Lena spoke up instead.

“he’s been asleep the whole time. They have him under red sun lamps to keep him from hurting anyone” Lena was looking straight ahead, a mom on a mission as they were down the hall from their destination. Alex stopped just before they got to Connor.

“now Kara, Lena, this is gonna be a process. He’s been kept away from society his whole life, who knows what’s going on in his head.” Kara opened her mouth to argue but Alex butted in.

“I know he’s your son and you want to help, and we will, but we have to be careful” Kara deflated but knew she was right. Alex must have accepted that as an answer as they continued.

They stopped in front of Connor’s cell, Kara watching as her son silently slept. She felt so much pain for the young man. He didn’t deserve any of what happened to him and Kara would do everything in her power to show him what life really had to offer.

They had so much catching up to do. She doubted he truly knew how to do anything, and they would teach him. His siblings would want to show him how to play various games. Lena would want to take him everywhere, so he could see not everyone was like Lex Luthor. And Kara? She had some experience being forced into a world she didn’t understand.

They would be there every step of the way going forward. Connor would never be alone again as long as Kara had anything to say about it.

They watched silently as the boy began to stir, his head twitching as he tried to pull his arms up. He stared in confusion at the cuffs holding him to the bed. He seemed too lost to fight it as he just put his head back down on the bed.

They could hear sniffling as his face turned from indifference to pain. He began to cry, and it was the loud retching sobs that broke Kara out of her trance.

“let me in there” Lena’s head snapped down to Kara.

“are you sure that’s a good idea?” Alex asked. Kara looked down at the wheelchair and gripped the wheels in her hands.

“no doubt” she said as she rolled over to the door. She was ready to go in when she felt someone grab the handles at the back of the chair. Looking back, she saw Lena, her eyes fixed on the door.

“you didn’t think you were going alone, did you?” Kara smiled.

“I would expect nothing less. this _is_ a job for his parents.” Lena did her best to smile as Alex had the cell opened. Connor squeezed his eyes shut as they walked in, his body shaking as they stepped inside. He turned his head to the wall and tried to curl up against it. The sight reminded Kara of how much work was ahead of them.

_It’ll be okay. We’ve got each other._ Kara assured herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hit me up at geralt-of-fking-rivia on tumblr if youve got some prompts or anything, i dont bite swear


	4. We Get Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor meets his parents

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello everyone! hope youre all doing well in these crazy times. im nearing the end of the semester and you know what that means! finally will be able to write a little more without feeling guilty for not doing homework! i enjoyed this chapter as it was kinda cute in my opinion. ive got a few more ideas to make this specific story longer so it might end up being more like 15 chapters but who knows. i hope you guys like this one! let me know what you think connors journey as a new danvers should be like because i just love this kid so much!!! until next time friends!

Lena took in a shaky breath as her and Kara stopped near the door of Connors cell. She held on tightly to the handles at the back of Kara’s wheelchair, trying her best to not break down at her oldest son crying on the thin cot in the center of the room.

The two of them stayed there for a few seconds, gathering their courage. After what felt like an eternity, Lena felt Kara reach back and open and close her hand. Lena took the hint and grabbed on, squeezing tight, causing her knuckles to turn white.

“Alex, can you remotely release his shackles?” Lena was surprised yet knew she shouldn’t be at Kara’s request.

“ _yeah but are you sure?”_ Alex questioned, her finger hovering over the control panel near the door.

“positive.” Lena hoped this gamble would pay off, that it wouldn’t end in anyone getting hurt. She heard the shackles around Connors wrists and ankles release, but the boy didn’t move from the bed. Instead, he curled up and fully faced the wall, his back moving with his sobs as his arms covered his head. The sight shattered Lena’s heart into a million tiny pieces.

“remember Lena, Kryptonian only. If you get stuck just tell me and i’ll translate” Kara reassured her. She too took a shaky breath and Lena took that as a sign they were ready. She took slow steps, eyes trained on Connor as they made their way to him. His body was still shaking, eyes tightly shut and seeming to close harder as they got closer.

They stopped about two feet from his bed, Kara adjusting herself in her chair and sitting up straight.

_What do we say?_ Lena though thought to herself. What do you say to someone so young whose been through so much? Not to mention they were his parents. Would he think they didn’t want him? Would he hate them?

Lena didn’t have to wonder as Kara cleared her throat and smiled.

“ _its really nice to see you again Connor. I’m Kara and this is Lena”_ she gestured to her and her wife but he didn’t look as she spoke in a soft voice, her Kryptonian perfectly clear. The boy said nothing as Kara continued.

“ _i know a lots happened today. Its okay to be scared”_ Kara was reassuring him, or it seemed so. He was shaking with less intensity as she spoke. Lena squeezed Kara’s shoulder and took a strong breath in this time.

“ _no one will hurt you here son. Ill be sure of it”_ Lena knew that was a sure promise from her wife. She may not be a superhero like Kara but She didn’t care who she had to go through, no one would be hurting their son within these walls, less they face the wrath of Lena Kieran Danvers.

“ _none of this is your fault Connor. You didn’t deserve what happened to you”_ Lena’s voice was calm. The words and tones looked as though they were working, as Connor’s body looked less tense, his shoulders loosening, the muscles in his neck relaxing. Even his arms fell from around his head slowly.

“ _I know everythings foreign and confusing, but we’ll be here for you, always”_ it seemed Connor wasn’t sure what to do with this information. His body was calm but still his head was turned, eyes closed. Lena gulped and looked down to Kara, who was looking right back.

They were having a silent conversation, deciding if they should tell him who they were to him or not. Would it be too soon? Or would he be angry not knowing sooner?

Lena thought back to when she learned she was a Luthor, not just adopted. She remembered the feeling of being an outsider, looking in on her own family but never fully a part of them. if she had known as child it might not have made her home life better, but it could’ve made her feel less alone.

Lena nodded at Kara, who turned to look back at Connor. She smiled wider and just touched the edge of the cot, not daring to touch Connor and break any of his boundaries.

“ _we have to tell you something Connor, but first we just want you to know we’re sorry we weren’t there for you”_ Kara was breathing heavy and Lena knew she was trying her hardest not to cry.

“ _Lena and I, we’re your parents”_ Connor took in a sharp breath and his eyes snapped open. Lena wasn’t sure what that meant.

“ _we know we weren’t there before, but we’ll be there every step of the way because-“_ Lena steadied herself, Kara holding her hand tighter as Lena finished her sentence.

“ _because we love you Connor Danvers and I’m sorry you’re just finding out now”_ Lena’s voice was shaky, but no tears fell. She felt proud of herself for holding it together in front of him. His pain was most likely much higher than her own right now.

Connor slowly sat up and turned his head away from the wall. His glossy eyes met theirs for the first time and Lena could feel his hurt, see the suffering he went through with Lex, it was horribly clear. He gripped the thin sheets between his fingers, the fabric bunching up but not ripping due to the red sun lights taking his strength. Lena smiled at him and crouched down beside Kara. Connor was able to look down on her.

_“we are going to get through this Connor, together”_ Connor looked down at his feet, silent tears falling down his face. Lena moved to stand but what happened next was unexpected.

Connor grabbed her hand. It wasn’t aggressive or painful, but surprisingly gentle. Lena crouched again and slowly put her hands on the one holding her. She rubbed his knuckles as he began to cry harder. His head turned to Kara, and she came forward just a little. He put his hand out, just enough to where Kara could reach.

Her wife took the hand offered to her and together the three of them held hands. This was a big leap from Connor that took Lena by surprise, but they would continue to go at his pace. Her son leaned forward, hovering by her ear.

“ _I’m scared”_ Connor whispered in Lena’s ear. His voice cracked as he confessed this to her. She was so immensely grateful to be there for him now. Their family would only be able to work through this together, just as their family moto says.

“ _thank you for telling us Connor.”_ Kara whispered, not wanting to break this peaceful quiet they had going.

Connor just watched them, his eyes traveling from one to the other and what he did next took Lena’s breath away.

A smile made its way to Connors lips. It was small, no teeth or movement in his cheeks but it was a start.

This proved to Lena that they would all be okay. Their family was all together finally. They could do anything now.


	5. In The Cool of The Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and Lena discuss the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends! i have returned with another chapter for you. im finally officially out of school for the summer and im hyped. i wrote most of this last night and feel pretty good about how it turned out. it was originally super short and got out of hand lol dont worry, connor/family time is coming sooner rather then later! we're not even halfway through this fic so buckle up you guys! i hope you like this one as much as i do, let me know what you all think! till next time! hope you are all well and safe out there!

“I think that went well, all things considered” Lena mused out loud. The couple was sitting in their bedroom, Lena patting the cuts on Kara’s face with a cotton ball. The alcohol on it was making Kara hiss and cringe as it touched her. Her wife mumbled something about ‘how do humans do this’ as she worked.

“I totally agree” Kara mumbled, obviously ready to sleep but the discomfort not allowing it. The blonde rubbed at her eyes, Lena working around her hand as she cleaned the last cut. She set the cotton ball down on their bedside table, deciding she could throw it away later. She simply wanted a nice cuddle right about now and she knew without a doubt that her wife would give it without question.

Lena watched Kara yawn, her arms stretching out and away from her. The blonde’s left hand came to cover the brunette’s face and Lena couldn’t help but smile at her goof’s antics. She grabbed the hand and gently pulled, Kara accepting her fate and scooting over.

Kara curled into Lena’s front as the CEO ran her hands through her now short hair. It was late and through a lot of coxing, all their children went to their own rooms for the night. She highly doubted any of them were asleep, but she could only do so much.

Lena was beyond glad that the days events ended on a happier note. Connor peacefully went to sleep holding their hands instead of attacking them on sight which was an incredibly nice development. She was tempted to stay the night at the DEO, but someone needed to help Kara. Alex swore she would do it instead, setting up a chair next to Connor’s door and throwing them a thumbs up before they headed out.

The gesture from her sister in law nearly made her cry. Already there was so much support for their new addition. Nia had offered to watch the kids with Brainy if needed, stating how they wanted to get practice in. Lena was surprised at first, as they hadn’t mentioned any thoughts of children before, but she quickly accepted.

Then there was James volunteering to take the three Danvers kids to school if her and Kara were ever busy with Connor. She was sure Eliza would be knocking on their door come morning and do various household chores, regardless of her protests. It all reminded her of when the kids were young, everyone swooping in to ease their work loads. She was more thankful then ever for her found family.

Lena continued to run her hands through her wife’s hair, hoping to aid her in slowly drifting to sleep. They sat in silence for a while but with her wife still not asleep, Lena decided to broach the topic of what the hell they would do next.

“Alex wants to know what we’re going to do about Connor. So they can start whatever treatment he needs as soon as possible.” Kara hummed at that and snuggled further into Lena. Her nose pressed against her collar bone, even breaths tickling her skin.

“obviously therapy is a must. Kelly?” Lena thought about it. She contemplated getting someone else, as he may not want to talk to Kelly once he learns they’re related but she was one of the premier therapists in the state. She wanted the best possible options for their son after all.

“I think that would be best. And she does have a lot of experience with dealing with trauma” their son had clearly been through a lot in his short life, but what exactly his “uncle” did to him is still unclear. It will no doubt be painful for him, but he’ll have their support through it all. That alone was keeping Lena confident through everything.

“what about his schooling? Aside from only speaking Kryptonese, its likely that he doesn’t know a lot of what a boy his age should know.”

Lena hadn’t even fully thought of that. Her son was basically starting from scratch as far as they knew. If they rushed bringing him into the outside world, it could be overwhelming for him and be more detrimental rather than helpful, but so would making assumptions about where he was at.

“why don’t I go and run some tests? Nothing crazy. Basic motor skills, reading level, that sort of stuff. Then we can know for sure where he’s at.” Kara smiled at that, her fingers drawing little circles near Lena’s neck as they talked.

“I love that idea. the best we can do for him is to take it slow.” Kara kisses her neck and Lena felt warm inside. Kara was always cuddly after a long day as supergirl, apparently today was no exception.

They sat in silence for a few minutes till Kara huffed. She moved away, her face scrunched up in discomfort as she went to undo the gauze covering her arms, the wounds apparently still irritating. Lena hopped out of the bed and spun around to look at her wife.

“I’ll get some more gauze so we can change those” Lena kissed the side of her head that wasn’t injured and ran off to their bathroom. When she came back out, Kara had already settled in the bed once again. Lena sat down beside her and grabbed her arm, the blonde groaning in response.

“I'm sorry darling. Ill try to be quick” Lena gently unrolled the gauze around her left arm, careful not to move too fast. The angry, raw skin beneath looked gruesome and painful, so Lena did her best to make this fast, but the sight hurt her as well.

Kara had told her briefly of what happened, how the wounds came from Connor trying to claw his way out of her grasp. How he cried for her to let him go but she had to follow through. Her own eyes began to water as she finished wrapping Kara’s other arm. She couldn’t imagine how painful that must have been, for both of them. Just the thought made her insides twist painfully.

Kara had been avoiding speaking of it, rushing through the story and redirecting the conversation when she was pressed in the med bay. Lena would give it time, hoping to help process it when they were ready.

So many things happened at such a breakneck speed that Lena had barely any time to process any of it. She had spent so much time during the day comforting other people, being the strong mother and wife to her children and Kara, that she hardly put any thought into how she felt about everything. Until now of course, and boy did it hit her hard.

When she finished, she went to go back to their bathroom, but Kara grabbed her hand and pulled her back down. Her wife moved to a sitting position facing her. They looked at each other, Kara’s bright eyes meeting Lena’s sad ones. Before she could say anything, Kara pulled her into a hug. She cried into her wife’s shoulder, Kara rubbing soft circles on her back.

“I'm supposed to be comforting you” Lena sobbed

“I know.” Kara answered quietly.

“you scared me, and the kids” Kara frowned

“I know that too, and I'm sorry” the reporter whispered into her ear. Kara pulled back and looked at Lena. She wiped the tears and held her face between her hands.

“but we’re okay now. We saved Connor and the worst thing I came back with was a choppy haircut” Lena chuckled, albeit halfheartedly, but it was something. Kara put her hands down and onto her knees. Lena watched her thumb move In circles on her leg, the constant motion soothing her rattled nerves.

“we are going to have to do something with your hair. All we could really do is give you an undercut like Zorel” Lena wiped at her eyes again and chuckled again as Kara continued to rub her knee. Lena’s eyes drifted up to the line on Kara’s head, the stitches crisscrossing to hold the healing skin together. The sight sent a shiver down her spine, but she kept reminding herself that in a few days, once her powers come back, Kara will be good as new.

“I'm sure he’ll be excited for us to match” Kara put her hand on Lena’s chin and leaned in. The CEO couldn’t help the smile that pulled at her lips as they kissed softly. It was far too quick for Lena’s liking but still perfect as always. When they parted, they set their foreheads together, breathing in the others presence.

“we’re gonna have to figure out how to tell them too.” Lena spoke into Kara’s lips.

“how bout at breakfast? Just rip the band aid off so they have time to adjust” Kara offered. Adjusting was hard for them, let alone their kids. Hopefully they would be able to roll with it and be welcoming to their new brother. They were already such good siblings to each other, surely given some time they would be just as good to Connor, right?

“We’ll go with that” Lena pulled Kara back down, the two enjoying the silence of their home and soaking up their time together in a quiet house. Until Kara backed away again. This time her face was that of someone who was unsure. The face looked a lot like Lyle’s when they got ice cream at the place with 50 flavors.

“Do you think that I should quit?” Kara asked. The question shocked Lena. She knew in the back of her mind what Kara was asking but wanted to make sure.

“Catco?” Kara shook her head, the movement not nearly as aggressive as she usually would be, the healing cut on her scalp preventing it.

“Supering. Today just felt like it was a reminder that I’m not as young as I was.” Lena simply listened as Kara shared her thoughts.

“The villains are getting bigger and badder, but I’m getting older. I’m not sure how long I can keep up doing this so often” Kara bit her lip, moving away from Lena and onto her back.

“So you want to retire?” Lena wondered how well that would go. Kara was such a do-er that Lena wasn’t sure if Kara would be able to stand retirement.

“Maybe.” Kara whispered, eyes glued to their ceiling. Lena grabbed Kara’s fingers and brought them to her lips. She just held them there as she thought of her answer.

“Is this just because of what happened today?” Kara shook her head

“Ive been thinking for awhile but today just really reminded me” Kara rubbed gently touched one of the cuts on her face, knowing she meant the beating she took today. Lena thought of the possibility of her wife retiring for a moment and looked searchingly in her eyes as she asked her next question.

“But would you be able to live that way? be able to rest?” Lena liked the sound of Kara retiring but she knew her wife. A full retirement wouldn’t last long, not so long as Kara had powers. Kara sighed at the question and closed her eyes, covering them with her forearm.

“No. Probably not” she croaked. Lena knew that was coming now, the serious talk of their future that was rearing over their heads once again.

She thought of Clark, how he had been training Jon for some time. With his 18th birthday coming up and Clark pushing 55, the “elder” super was ready to step back and allow his son to handle the burden as Superboy. The plan he had, of stepping back unless he’s direly needed, sounded like something Kara might be able to handle.

Lena remembered having to break the news to her son that sadly, his superhero name was taken. He’s been hard at work ever since, coming to her every few weeks with a new list of names that would one day be the name of a hero. What Clark had done gave her an idea, hopefully it would be just as appealing to Kara.

“What if you retired from the DEO? Focused on the Justice League instead?” Kara perked up at that, her arm coming down from her face and moving to her stomach.

Lena knew the other members were talking about expanding their little organization. Currently it was a couple of heroes who gathered when shit hit the fan but according to Kara, they want to change that.

Instead of being an occasional team, it would be constant. A base of operations to serve as a home for those who wanted it. Missions on earth and other worlds, a network of heroes always on alert to protect the universe at a moments notice. At least that’s what Kara hoped for it to be.

“You could still help at the DEO but from behind the scenes. Maybe as an advisor? There’s plenty of new heroes on the rise there. They can handle your average evil doer” Kara nodded, contemplating the suggestion.

“That way you can focus on building the league, coordinating with the heroes, admin stuff. And when the world needs you, you can dust off the suit” Kara sat there, startlingly still as Lena waited for her response.

“That does sound nice. Building a new generation of heroes and all” Lena smiled and kissed her cheek.

“I knew you’d like that”

“But maybe not right away” Lena raised an eyebrow and waited for the follow up.

“I think we both know Zorel has his mind set on being a super. I think it’s best we foster his plan instead of shutting it down. I could stay with my role I have now. Just until he’s ready. Then I can leave it to him. Mostly”

The idea of Zorel doing what Kara did as a young hero did frighten her. He is her baby after all, but if they kept hindering his plans, he would resent them and do what he wanted to spite them. 

“Okay. But you will watch him like a hawk till he’s 18! And no real operations till then either!” Lena would relent but needed these demands to be met if she allowed her son to run headlong into danger. Kara just turned back over to her previous position; nose once again pressed into her neck.

“I promise.” Kara assured her. Lena knew her word was good and decided to let the subject go for now. They were cuddled together for awhile till Kara gasped, her head shooting up.

“Did you remember to write a note for the kids? I don’t want another angry voicemail from that lady at the twin’s school” Lena laughed and pulled Kara back down, the blonde reluctantly settling in.

“Yes. It’s all taken care of. Don’t worry”

“Oh. Cool” Kara sighed and snuggled closer, one arm going up and wrapping around Lena’s waist. 

“Just sleep darling. We’ll deal with everything tomorrow” Lena whispered, but it seems the words landed on deaf ears as her wife had already fallen asleep. The blonde further proved it by an aggressive snore, the sound music to her ears for once.

_What a day_ Lena thought. So many developments would be coming their way in the coming days. Life as a Danvers would probably never be normal but what’s so good about normal anyway, right?

Lena slowly pried herself from Kara’s grasp, the exhausted hero simply scooting over and laying face down in the middle of the bed.

She quietly made her way to the twin’s room first. She peeked inside but saw neither child. This was odd but she knew they were most likely in another part of the house. She was ready to find them in the kitchen, rummaging around in the freezer for ice cream no doubt, but stopped when she heard quiet talking in her eldest son’s room.

She grasped the handle to his door, slowly turning the knob and peeking in. The sight that greeted her made her smile and wish she had her phone to take a picture.

The three children were on the floor of Zorel’s bedroom, laying on the carpet with a blanket draped over them. It obviously came from one of the twins, as Zorel’s feet stuck out the bottom. The light from the glow in the dark stars Zorel put up a few years previously was shining on their faces, illuminating the little smiles there. Zorel was talking quietly, holding all the attention of his younger siblings.

Whatever he was saying must have been astounding, as both twins had their mouths and eyes wide open. Lena decided their sibling moment was best left undisturbed, so she closed the door and walked away, the smiles on her children’s faces now mirrored on her own.

She made her way back to her and Kara’s room, her wife now laying on her side once again. Lena Laid down, facing Kara’s snoring form. She wrapped her arms around her again and closed her eyes. All she could think of was the sight of her children, bonding, making memories neither her nor Kara had the power to give them. 

It was a lot like the relationship she once had as a child with Lex, her now deceased brother once much like Zorel. Their relationship soured to say the least, but her children were vastly different from her and Lex. In their case she was certain, their bonds were strong.

She couldn’t wait for Connor to be able to join those moments with his siblings, to have the fun he’s missed out on with his family. She could already picture it. Her dreams that night were full of it. Full of family barbecues and late-night ice cream runs, of waking them up early on Christmas and begging for one extra hour before bed.

What the future had for them, Lena couldn’t know for sure. All she did know was they would do it together, always would.


	6. In Case You Didn't Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena and Kara break the news to the super siblings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you guys are doing well and stayin safe! two chapter in two days! who wouldve thought!? this one is a lot like the last one, a lot of talking and family business. more connor too in the coming chapters! and the super kids too! Lena is going to be the main pov for most of this. i just like my version of her. let me know what you think about his one, i hope you enjoy it! till next time friends!

Lena woke up to someone pulling her arm, a voice pleading with her.

“Moooooom! You have to take us to school!!!” A voice she recognized as Zorel’s cried. Another pair of hands pulled on her leg.

“Mommy! Wake up!!” Lori was joining in now as well she realized. Lena forgot to tell them they were out of school; she was surprised they even came to remind her instead of just going back to sleep. Maybe they were just trying to be extra good to ease some of the stress of what happened with Kara.

“Five more minutes” she mumbled with a smile. Now they would finally understand what it was like trying to get them up in the morning and Lena would revel in this moment. They were going to get some of their own medicine. One of the kids groaned.

“Really mom?? We have to go now!” Zorel was doing his best to not just rip her out of bed and out the house, still just barely tugging her. Lena was proud of the control of his powers he had, which made Kara’s proposal from last night sound a little better. Just a little.

“How about you guys join us?” Lena turned over and opened her eyes, meeting the judging looks of the twins and Zorel. Lyle has his arms crossed; a frown stuck to his face. Lena smiled and grabbed him, the boy squealing as he was pulled into her embrace, his legs dangling from the edge of the bed.

“You guys don’t have school today. I excused you for a week.” all three gasped, Zorel’s mouth hanging open. The look on his face was priceless. She wanted to frame it and put it on her desk.

“You couldn’t have told us yesterday?” Lori cried, throwing her hands in the air in disbelief. Zorel was already walking out, his bag dragging on the floor behind him.

“I’m going to sleep, and I will not be waking up till breakfast” her oldest son walked out and to his room, Lori following behind him, kicking her backpack out the door happily. She marched right out the room; head held high. _That was easy_ but Lena figured it should be. If anyone detested waking up early for school, it was those two. Lyle on the other hand, was not so easily swayed.

He had his head down on her neck, body like a limp noodle as he laid there in her arms.

“Didn’t you hear Lyle? No school today!” Lena shook him but the boy just kicked his legs, head staying down.

“But I like going.” He mumbled. The struggle of having a prodigy in their house she supposed. Lena ran her hands through his hair as she tried to convince him that it was okay for today.

“Everyone needs a break sometimes Lyle” that didn’t help, as he only shook his head at that. Lena sighed. This would be tougher than she thought. Then she got an idea.

“What if I wrote some problems for you? Any subject you want” her son’s head shot up at that, his face breaking into the biggest smile she had seen him with.

“Chemistry?!” He cried. Lens nodded and Lyle jumped off her. He cheered, pumping his fists in front of him. He kissed her on the cheek and ran out, a ‘you’re the best, mom!’ thrown out as he left. Who would’ve thought that the prospect of doing advanced chemistry would excite a 7-year-old like that.

“Why are they always so loud” Lena turned to see her wife, a pillow held gingerly over her head. She could see one of her eyes looking up at her, they were red and still obviously tired.

“I’m sorry love. Go back to sleep” Lena pulled the pillow up and kissed her head, Kara putting the pillow back in its place and pulling the blanket up to her chin. When she heard light snoring, Lena got up and out of bed. She did a quick stretch and walked out.

With the kids back in their rooms, Lena decided to go outside in their backyard and make a phone call where no nosy children would eavesdrop. Kelly would most likely be up by now, and she wanted to see what she thought of helping Connor.

She pulled out her iPhone and began to dial the number. It rang only for a few seconds when it was picked up.

“Kelly! I was wondering if- “

“ _If you’re calling me for what I think you are, then you shouldn’t be”_ Kelly answered quickly. Lena was confused for a moment until she gathered her senses and answered.

“Hello to you too Kelly. Did Alex Fill you in?”

“ _She did. And while I’m excited to meet my nephew, it should be as his aunt. Not his therapist_ ” Lena has thought of the possibility herself but thought it wouldn’t be much of an issue.

“ _I know you guys trust me, and for that I’m honored but me being it won’t help”_ Lena followed along, nodding even though she knew Kelly couldn’t see her.

“ _Once he learns we’re related, he’ll feel manipulated. Maybe even resent you and Kara”_ the Idea off Connor resenting them did not appeal to her, so she began to wonder about other options. She had her mind set on Kelly but now it was all thrown out. Before she could start to panic, Kelly spoke again.

“ _But don’t worry. I’ve already got another suggestion for you.”_

“You do?” Kelly Hummed in the other side of the line. Lena could faintly hear people talking on Kelly’s end, but ignored it.

“ _Yeah. She’s an old friend. I think she would be perfect for Connor”_ Lena thought about it. She was afraid. The main reason for wanting Kelly didn’t honestly have much to do with Kelly’s skills, but more so with the fact she knew Connor was safe with her. A new person didn’t have that kind of trust with her yet.

“Are you sure about them?” The noise on Kelly’s end got louder, this time she could hear her nieces, obviously arguing over something. They were progressively getting louder.

“ _Hold in one second Lena_ ” Kelly must have gone to tell the kids to quiet down, as she could no longer hear the arguing. Oh how she knew the struggle. With three children at home, all with drastically different personalities, they were lucky world war 3 hadn’t started in their home.

“ _Sorry about that. You think two 20-year olds would be able to decide who gets the last eggos in a civil way_ ” Lena laughed, now knowing she meant her two oldest nieces were the cause of the argument, Hania and Callie still as fiery as ever.

“You know I get you better than anyone” Lena walked in circles, stopping to look at her small garden as she waited for Kelly to answer. She began picking weeds, pulling at the roots and watching as the soil gave way.

“ _That’s true. But anyway, back to what I was saying. She’s worked with Superman. Believe me, you can trust her”_ Lena thought of the idea as she pulled a weed out from next to her tomatoes. She patted the earth back down and threw the weeds to the back door, where they landed limply on the cement there.

“If you think it’s best Kelly.”

“ _I do. I’ll email her details to you.” Lena smiled_. Once again, her family came in big time for them.

“Thank you so much Kelly. I mean it”

“ _I know. What is family for right_?” It has been some time since she was a Luthor, her cold family not understanding the idea that they work together for the sake of working together, no agenda needed. Sometimes she was still surprised at how her found family worked, the care they had for each other.

“That’s right. Like Kara says. El Mayarah.”

“ _El Mayarah, Lena. We’ll talk later_ ” Lena said her goodbye and ended the call. She was still crouched in her garden, the smell of her plants filling her nose as she sat there. She hoped to keep this feeling, like everything was finally coming together.

She slowly made her way back inside, the house still quiet as she went to their living room to sit down. The awkward position she was in outside took its toll on her knees, sitting down feeling like a blessing for her aging joints.

She wasn’t allowed to sit for long as the doorbell rang. She sighed and got up. Who could possibly be coming over at 8:45 Am on a Wednesday, she wasn’t sure. That is until she got closer and heard the voices on the other side.

“don’t you think it’s a little early? I don’t even hear the kids” the muffled voice of Lillian asked.

“Have you ever known Lena to wake up after 8 on a weekday?” Eliza joked, Lena hearing a deep hum from her mother. She shook her head and opened the door, surprising her guests.

“To what do I owe the pleasure mom, Eliza?” She said as she opened the door. Both grandparents were standing on their porch, Eliza breaking into a big smile and hugging her.

“Alex called me. Just that you needed help. So, I grabbed Lillian and came here”

“So neither of you know the full story?” They both just shook their heads.

“Alright come in. I’ll tell you inside” once they were all sat down, she recounted the whole thing, to the full extent of her knowledge that is. The older women’s faces went through a range of emotions, not much different then how Lena had felt when she learned about it. By the end, Lillian looked horrified and Eliza was near crying.

“So Lex did this?” Lillian asked in a Low voice. Lena just nodded and Lillian put her head in her hands. She imagined her mother felt some kind of guilt, having once aided in her brother’s descent into madness. They wouldn’t blame her for it. Lex was his own man in the end and his actions were his own.

“And what will happen to Connor?” Eliza was on the edge of her seat, pleading to know what will become of her grandson.

“We’re working on getting him help. After we tell the kids, me and Kara were going to go over and run some tests.” Eliza nodded and grabbed her hand. She leaned in and smiled through her tears.

“We can watch the kids for you. It’s the least we can do. Besides, it’s been at least three days since I’ve seen them last and that’s far too long!” Eliza declares. Lillian just nodded along, wiping at her eyes. The thought of her mother crying shocked Lena. She may be a changed woman, but she still held strongly to her stony exterior. The fact this situation brought tears to her eyes showed how much she loved her grandchildren, actually loved them.

“We’re going to tell them at breakfast. I think having you here would help a lot.” Both grandmothers nodded and they sat there in silence in the living room till they heard the children begin to wake up and move around.

Zorel came barreling down the stairs first, hoping down from the top and landing aggressively at the bottom. Lena whipped around to scold him, gently of course.

“Zorel Danvers you will bust a hole through the floor one of these days!” He looked sheepish, his hand going to the back of his neck as he apologized.

“My bad, mom. I’ll do it lighter next time” she wanted to laugh at his promise. At least he was honest and confessed he would do it again. He went to walk into the kitchen but did a double take as he spotted his grandmothers sitting in their living room.

“Grandma? Nana? What are you guys doing here?” Zorel ran over and gave them both a hug, his grandmothers clutching onto the back of his sleep shirt.

“We came to spend time with you all of course” Lillian replied, patting his cheek. The twins slowly made their way down as well, Lori rubbing at her eyes and Lyle armed with a notebook. He waved it around and pointed at Lena, hoping she understood what he was asking. She nodded and his smile grew once again.

“There are my favorite twins!” Eliza cried, going to hold both. She squeezed their cheeks, the twins laughing as she did it.

“Nana let go of us” Lori giggled. Eliza let go and bent down with some difficulty, pulling them into a tight hug. Lena watched as they greeted their grandmothers. Lena never really thought this would be her life at 41 but she was lucky that it’s what she has.

“I’ll go start breakfast. You all stay here” Lena was largely ignored as she made her way to the kitchen. She could live with being overshadowed by their grandparents for today.

Lena went to work quickly as she made all the kids favorites. Waffles for Zorel, eggs for Lori and oatmeal for Lyle, with a few extras for the adults. When she was finishing up, she heard a few cries of ‘Jeju’. Turning around she saw Kara slowly making her way down the stairs. The kids ran into her with less force then usual, engulfing her in a group hug.

“Good morning to you guys too” Kara grumbled, ruffling each child’s hair as she continued to walk. Lori and Lyle held tightly onto her arms, Zorel hovering beside them. She passed Eliza and Lillian, simply waving as she went. She made it to the kitchen and kissed Lena on the cheek before dropping down into a seat at their kitchen island.

“Feel better?” She questioned. Their kids were crowding around Kara, scrambling to sit beside her or hold her hand.

“Much. Are you ready?” Kara looked at her and motioned to the kids with her head, meaning she was talking about more then just breakfast.

“Yeah. Let me just finish making this and we can start” Lillian and Eliza made their way over, sitting at the dining room table as Lena put all the food on a plate, or bowl in Lyle’s case. The kids happily dug in, Lori lazily holding onto Kara’s fingers as she ate.

Lena nodded at Kara and her wife nodded back. Lena cleared her throat, hoping to raise her confidence as she did so.

“Kids, there’s something your Jeju and I have to tell you” all eyes were on her and Kara now. Zorel watched, his eyebrows turned up in question, cheeks puffed up as he already stuffed his face with waffles. Lori was eating with her hands, some pieces of egg dangling. Lyle was gingerly holding his spoon in the air near his mouth. It was like everything froze so they could give this difficult talk.

Kara sat up and continued what Lena was saying.

“Remember how I said I met a boy yesterday?” They all nodded, confused where this was going.

“You mean the one that hurt you” Zorel clarified. There was venom in his voice and Lena hoped once he learned the story it would go away. As always, Zorel was protective of his Jeju.

“Well yes but it was a misunderstanding. An accident. He was confused and didn’t mean it.” Zorel scoffed and they continued. His reaction was not a good sign.

“That boy was hurt by Lex Luthor. He did bad things to him and that’s why he fought me” Lyle and Lori still looked as confused as when they started but Zorel was seemingly following along easy enough.

Kara looked at Lena, evidently at a loss for words. How do you tell your children they have a secret brother engineered by their evil uncle?

“We were able to save the boy. His name is Connor.” Zorel nodded along. He looked down at his waffles.

“What are they gonna do with him then?” Zorel asked nonchalantly, taking another bite of his food. Kara took a deep breath and Lena put a hand on hers.

“That’s the thing. We know who his parents are” Kara bit her lip and watched her anxiously.

“Problem solved then. Just take him back to them. So we don’t have to deal with him anymore” Zorel shrugged as he said it, and it was obvious he didn’t what Connor around.

“We can’t not deal with him anymore, honey” Lena moves to sit across from her son. He looked at her like she grew a second head.

“And why not? He hurt Jeju. I don’t want to see him” Lena gritted her teeth. He was not going to take this well.

“Because we’re his parents” Kara answered. It temporarily felt like the weight of the world was lifted off their shoulders. They were all going in slow motion, faces changing slowly. She watched as Zorel’s face went from confusion to anger. He dropped his fork, his hands clenching on the granite countertop.

“You can’t be serious!” He yelled. Lena saw Lori and Lyle finally understand the importance of why they were telling them this. They both looked at each and watched as Zorel stood up.

“You can’t expect us to just let him in! Not after what he did!” Zorel pointed harshly at Lena, his face contorted in a deep frown as his arm shook. This was not going how they hoped at all. Lori tugged on Zorel’s hand, the teen looking down at her furiously.

“Jeju said he didn’t mean it. It was an accident” Zorel’s face was red as he stared down at his sister. He apparently had nothing left to say as he pulled his hand away and stalked off. They could hear his stomping all the way to his room, where he slammed the door. There was a telltale snapping noise, he ripped the door off it’s hinges again.

Kara sighed, putting her head in her hands. Lena looked around the room. Lillian and Eliza were kindly smiling at her, while the twins were just trying to process everything. Lyle looked up at her.

“Does that mean we have two big brothers?” He asked. Lena nodded and he looked at Lori. They siblings nodded determinedly. Lori took over and looked at her.

“When can we meet him?” Lena let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding since zorel’s outburst. At least some of them were welcome to the idea outright.

“Soon. Once he starts to feel better.” Lyle tilted his head.

“Is he hurt too like Jeju?” Kara pulled her head out her hands and watched them talk.

“Not quite. He hurts in here” Lena pointed to her chest. She meant for it to mean something like his feelings, but Lyle took it another way. He gasped and leaned forward, standing in his chair.

“He had a heart attack!?” Lori gasped at that, the two watching Lena anxiously. She waved her hands.

“No no. I meant he has some feelings he needs to work through” Kara smiled at the kids. Lyle plopped back down in his seat and let out a breath.

“Woo. That’s a relief” Lena put her hand on the twin’s cheeks and smiled.

“Yes, it is. But he still needs your guys help okay? He needs his brothers and sister to watch out for him” the two nodded, gladly accepting their mission. Lori saluted her.

“We will not let you down, mommy” she finished the salute with a flourish and Lyle nodded, his head moving up and down forcefully. Both of their faces were stern, as if the orders just came down from the president herself.

“Thank you, my little darlings. It means a lot to me and Jeju. And I’m sure to Connor too” she bopped their noses and they smiled as they dug back into their breakfast. Kara coughed and looked over to the stairs.

“Me or you?” She asked. Lena didn’t say anything, she just walked over to Kara and kissed her. The kids gagged at this, and she was fairly certain Lillian did to, but Lena missed their faces and the most likely dopey smile on Kara’s. She walked up the stairs and saw the door of Zorel’s room loosely hanging in its frame.

The edges were splintered and there was a crack in the middle, the hinges open and bent. She would have to fix it later as she saw inside her son sitting at his desk, headphones on and arms crossed over his chest.

She pulled the door from its precarious position, the knob coming off in her hands. Zorel didn’t react, instead turning up the volume on his computer. Lena stepped over the debris and went to sit on his bed. They were only about two feet apart but there may as well have been a ravine between them.

“Zorel?” He turned away from her at that, facing his window as the music blared in his ears.

“Sweetheart listen to me please” she put her hand on his shoulder, the teen shrugging her off. He had never been this cold to her before. With all the time they spent together you think it would have happened at least once but no. This feeling was unfamiliar to her and she didn’t like it one bit.

“You don’t have to say anything, but can you please listen” Lena reached over and took off his headphones, the music now quietly filling the room. Zorel still wouldn’t look at her but it didn’t put the headphones back on so Lena started talking.

“I know you’re not happy about this. That you’re angry at Connor. And at us for welcoming him” Zorel played with the wire on the end of the headphones, casually wrapping it around his finger as she talked.

“But he’s our family. He’s been through a lot and the best thing for him is for us to be there by his side” Zorel’s frown was less prominent now but still there.

“The only way for him to get better and to be your brother is if we support each other” Zorel stares out the window, no longer playing with the wire, just listening.

“He’s really our brother?” Zorel grumbled.

“Yes. Through and through” Lena held her breath for his response.

“there's no way out of this huh” he sighed; his head turned down. He still looked away from her but answered.

“Fine. But I won’t like it” Lena smiled. There was progress to be made with him and Connor, but this was a step in the right direction

“Thank you, sweetie. I know this is hard for you” Lena stood up and kissed the top of his head. She adjusted his headphones back to where they once were and walked away after rubbing his shoulder.

When she came out of his room, she saw Kara standing off to the side. She was leaning against the wall, head pulled back beside a picture of them at the beach last summer.

“So?” Kara asked, watching her closely as she approached. She put her head on the reporter’s shoulder, arms looping around her waist. She breathed in her scent, the smell of her clothes and hair mixing together to calm her down.

“Still work to be done but he isn’t pissed anymore” Lena further buried her head into Kara’s shoulder, her wife wrapping her arms around her back, resting her hands on her lower back.

“Baby steps, right?” Kara kissed behind her ear and set her cheek down on the side of her head.

“Right” Lena agreed.

“Now I say we go back in our room and have some alone time. If you can be quiet that Is” Kara husked in her ear and Lena laughed.

“What? Our mothers are here. They can distract them while we enjoy our adult time” Kara’s hand drifted lower and she squeezed, Lena grabbing her hand and pulling her from the wall.

“Okay but only got a little bit and not moving too much. We still have to go to the DEO and you’re still hurt” Kara smiled wider, hurriedly going to their room and locking the door. They collapsed on the bed, Kara boxing her in.

“I think I’m feeling better already” Kara whispered. Before their lips could meet again, they were interrupted by Lyle knocking on the door.

“I know you’re busy, but mommy promised to give me chemistry problems” the muffled voice on the other side of the door made Lena groan, and not in the way she was hoping just moments ago. Kara chuckled and set her head down gently on the bed beside Lena’s. She rolled off and pointed to the door.

“hop to it mommy” Kara smirked, and Lena made a face at her as she stood. Lyle continued to knock on the door as they stared at each other. Lena conceded, shaking her head and going to the door.

“I'm coming” she told the young boy, his knocking refusing to let up.

“that's what she said” Kara whispered behind her hand. Of all the things she could have said in that moment, of course Kara goes for that.

_Such is my life_ Lena thought, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.


	7. We All Call The Tune

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena bonds with Connor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> three for three! hope everyones okay! i originally planned to come out with this earlier today but got distracted rewatching fullmetal alchemist brotherhood. again. a lot of this chapter is building up to others, like the last two have. ive got a clear idea of how i want everything with connor to go so it should be quicker updates with all this free time. im really loving writing lena in all this. shes just number one mom you know? anyhow, let me know your thoughts on this, i really hope you like it! till next time friends!!!!

“Are you sure you don’t want me to take you back home? It won’t take long” Lena asked as her and Kara made their way to Connor’s cell at the DEO.

She had a stack of folders pressed against her chest, pages threatening to slip out as she hadn’t bothered to organize them neatly. Kara simply carried a clipboard and pen, the lighter load far easier for her in this state. Her wife shook her head, putting a hand to the cut on the side.

“no, I'm okay. I just need to sit down is all.” Kara waved her off, putting her hand down from clutching her head to sway at her side. Her wounds were healing quickly, showing that slowly but surely, her powers were on their way back.

“okay but don’t push yourself. I don’t need you getting hurt even more” Lena grabbed onto her free hand and squeezed. The blonde smiled appreciatively at her as they stopped at their destination. Alex was sitting in a chair by the door, waving weakly at them, a box sitting beside her.

She got up and all three went to look in the cell. Alex had her hands on her hips, watching Connor closely. He was sitting on his cot, back against the wall. His legs were pulled to his chest with his head down on his knees. He was dressed differently than the day before, a simple set of DEO sweats and a t-shirt that fit him a little big.

“he sat like that for most of last night.” Alex told them in a low voice, her eyes not moving from her nephew. Lena could only imagine how uncomfortable that must have been. She wondered what was going through his mind right now, dying to know how her son was feeling. Sadly, she would have to wait for him to feel that comfortable with her.

Alex looked over to her and smiled. She peaked over Lena’s arms, her eyes widening at the large stack of papers.

“Did James get everything that you asked?” she pointed to the folders, a paper falling out as she asked. Kara bent down to pick it up as she answered. The reporter handed the sheet back to her, Lena shoving it back into it’s place.

“yes, he did. I’ll have to thank him somehow. I’m sure finding course work for k-12 took a lot of effort. He used the Kryptonian program I sent right?” Lena looked down at the folders. With each holding the basics of different subjects, Lena hoped to get an idea of her son’s education level. They knew little of the sinister project that made him, but if Lex was determined to make the perfect warrior, he must have programmed something into his mind.

“yup. he was up all night working on it. He wouldn’t rest till he got everything you would need” Kara handed her sister the clipboard she was carrying, Alex examining it as Lena asked her next question.

“and the other things?” Alex nodded, reaching down to grab the cardboard box at her feet.

“yup. All here.” she waved the box around and held it before her.

“so what all will you test him on?” Alex asked, Kara nodding in agreement as she sat down in the chair. She breathed in relief, the walk down here obviously more taxing then she wanted to admit.

“well I want to see what level of education he’s had. Without Lex’s full research, we can’t know what was programmed into him, if anything at all” Kara leaned forward in the chair, hands bracing on her knees.

“I also want to see physically how he is. Mainly Where his motor skills, Coordination, and power control are at. All these things can tell us where we need to start when it comes to introducing him to society at large” Alex hummed, her eyes not leaving Connor still.

“well let’s get the show on the road right.” Alex handed the box to her, Lena struggling to set the folders on the top. Kara swooped in and held the box, Lena finally able to put the papers on top.

“you stay here with Alex, Kara.” Kara sputtered as Lena took the box from her. She had thought about it. She hadn’t meant for this to be shutting Kara out, just making Connor feel as comfortable as possible.

“What? Why?” she cried, dropping down into the chair. Lena noticed she was breathing hard still, her hand going up to her head again.

“you need to rest. And besides, I don’t think Connor would like tons of people with him, watching him do these tests.” Kara seemed to have understood that, sighing as she leaned back in the chair. She knew her wife liked to be in on the action, especially when it came to their kids.

This, for her, was no different then her wanting to watch Zorel’s baseball games or sitting in on Lyle’s piano lessons. Admittedly, this did feel like a big milestone for them. This would be their first substantial time with the teen since meeting him only 24 hours before. Its like coming home from the hospital with a newborn, only the newborn was a 16 year old boy.

“alright. I’ll stay here and watch through the glass. This is for Connor, not me.” Kara sighed and turned the chair, looking at Connor as he shifted in place. Lena went to the door but with her hands full found herself unable to get inside.

“Alex, could you turn on the intercom for me?” Alex looked at her questionably but obliged anyway, holding the button for her. A light blinked next to the button, signaling that it was ready to project her voice into the red cell.

“ _Connor, it’s me, Lena. Is it okay if I come in_?” she asked in his first language. The teen’s head shot up, looking around for the source of the voice. Lena waited for his answer. It took a few seconds, but he gave a gentle nod and Alex opened the door.

“don’t forget to take notes for me” she reminded Alex as she moved forward. Alex just nodded and gave another thumbs up. She walked in with a smile, setting everything she brought down onto the floor. Her son watched her cautiously, his legs going down and hanging off the bed.

“ _how are you feeling?”_ he watched her as she crouched, pulling objects out of the box. There were a number of items inside, each with a purpose. First came out a bucket and a simple bean bag, the kind Kara kept around to play games of cornhole during family barbecues.

“ _fine”_ his simple answer didn’t surprise her. His face was stoic as she went about setting everything up. Putting the folders in a neat pile on the ground, ready to ask her second question.

“ _that's good. Is it okay if we try something?”_ Connor nodded once again, Lena smiling even bigger than before. So far so good.

“ _great! Now I just wanted your help with this. Everything in here_ ” she gestured to the box, flaps hanging to the side.

“ _is to tell us how we can help you. Are you okay with that_ ” He got off the bed and studied the items in the box. He turned his attention to everything already out and grabbed the small beanbag. He held it in his hand and threw it in the air a few times, getting the feel of it.

The room was quiet, only the soft hum of the red sun lamps to greet their ears. She could hear a pin drop as he sized up the bean bag.

“ _yes_ ” he said as the object dropped back into his grasp. he gripped the bag in his hand.

“ _okay! Let’s start with that first then_ ” Lena went around and grabbed the bucket, setting it down against the far wall. She then went to stand beside Connor. He watched her actions like a hawk, just waiting for something to happen.

“ _now if we could just turn the red sun lights off_ ” Lena glanced at the glass; the silent message understood as the room went back to its regular hue of grays. Connor looked around the room, mouth slightly agape as his powers came back to him.

“ _great. Now I need you to throw that bean bag into the bucket._ ” Connor looked at her then at the bucket, then at the bean bag, and back to her.

“ _that's it?_ ” he asked. Lena grinned at his tone. He sounded much like someone who was expecting something more difficult. Good to know that a sense of competition was a part of his genetics.

Connor wound his arm back and threw, the bean bag launching towards the wall, exploding on impact. Connor smiled sheepishly as the pieces scattered, a few falling into the bucket but mostly spilling onto the floor. Lena gently put a hand on his shoulder and handed him another.

“ _almost. Try again, a little gentler this time_.” He took the bean bag and breathed in deep. His eyes were closed as he lifted his hand. This time, instead of preparing a fastball, he threw it underhand, opening his eyes as the projectile flew in the air and dropped easily in the bucket. He turned to her and he had the biggest smile on his face.

“ _good job Connor! You’re doing great, sweetheart!”_ Lena rubbed the back of his shirt. He didn’t flinch, the action instead making his smile wider, if that was possible. Lena felt like crying at the sight of his giant grin. She missed the milestones with him that she had with their other children, but this would work just as well.

“ _now another test!_ ” and so Lena went. They went through all the motor skills and coordination tests she could think of the night before, her extensive research giving her tons of ideas.

He tied a shoe with little issue, only needing a few pointers from Lena on how the rabbit/tunnel thing worked. He picked up on cutting and gluing colored paper shapes easy enough, with little mess to clean up as well.

From there they tried various run throughs of an agility ladder, going for coordination over speed. He had little trouble with that, never losing his balance and able to move quickly. She handed him a rubber ball, to see if he could squeeze it without popping it. He passed easily as well, none of the extra balls needed.

Every time he accomplished one of the tasks, he looked to her and smiled and each time, she encouraged him. She wanted to make sure that even if he made a mistake, that he knew he wasn’t doing anything bad. She was truly happy to see that he was getting excited about something.

Even with the struggles he’s been through, he was still a boy at heart. The idea that Lex, in all his madness and cruelty, couldn’t bring down his spirit, was massively comforting.

Finally, she set up a bucket and grabbed a gallon of water. She poured the water in the bucket and stepped away.

“ _last physical test Connor. All you have to do is boil the water without burning through the bucket. Can you do that?”_ Connor looked at her determined, clenching his fits as he looked at the bucket. She watched his eyes glow, the red lighting up his features. The heat vision came out quickly, a loud hum coming from the lasers. The bucket became bright red, Connor clenching his teeth as he saw this.

“ _you can do it Connor. Focus on the water_ ” Connor’s heat vision lessened, the bucket turning back to its regular color. The water began to bubble, the surface moving. Sure enough, steam started to come from the bucket, Connor cheering as he shut his heat vision off.

“ _amazing Connor! I knew you could do it_ ” she patted his shoulder, the boy looking at her closely. Before she could blink, Connor engulfed her in a hug. It was tight, but not uncomfortably so. She rubbed his back and laughed.

“ _now just a few more things_ ” she let him go and grabbed the papers. Each was labeled with what year and subject was inside. Connor looked confused as he took them.

“ _these are some basic subjects earth children learn as they grow. You can do them at your own speed and skip whatever you don’t know.”_ Connor nodded and flipped through the first papers. He sat on his bed then looked to her.

“ _is there something to write with?”_ Connor asked, his eyes not leaving the papers. Lena went and grabbed her pen, handing it to him. Using a burst of super speed, Connor began writing. He sped through all the science and math, skipping over English and history.

After only a few minutes, all the math and science sections were completed all the way through to grade 12. The English and history sections were left untouched. He held the stack of paper out to her, Lena’s mouth hanging open.

She flipped through it all, and sure enough it was all complete, front to back, not one question skipped. Lex must have done something to his brain, only inserting the information he thought was essential for a super soldier. She noticed there was only one thing missing.

“ _you’re incredible Connor. But there's still one thing I have to teach you”_ Lena took his pen, writing at the top for a second. She finished and flipped the paper so he could look.

“ _you have to learn to write your name!”_ she smiled, handing the paper back to Connor. He studied the name at the top of the paper.

“ _just copy what I put_ ” Lena encouraged. Slowly Connor’s pen began to move. In crooked letters he spelled it out.

_Connor Danvers,_ he looked nervously to her, Lena never forgetting to smile.

“ _much better isn’t it_?” Connor nodded, clutching the paper in his hands. Lena took a chance, kissing the top of his head not unlike she did to Zorel this morning. He didn’t pull away but leaned into her.

“ _how do I say it all together?”_ his question warmed her heart. She pointed to the letters, sounding them all out slowly so Connor could copy her. His English was clumsy, the pronunciation slightly off at first but the sound was like music to her. He was a quick learner, needing little guidance once something was explained to him.

After a few minutes, he was saying his name as clearly as she and Kara could. She was sure with a little practice; he would be speaking English in no time.

“ _you were spectacular today, Connor. I’ll be back tomorrow with some visitors, if that's okay_.” Connor pursed his lips, a spitting image of Kara as he did it. The sight truly brought home the fact that yes, this boy was their son.

“ _that sounds okay.”_ Lena held him tighter, the boy sighing as she did so. He didn’t move to reciprocate but accepted the touch gladly.

She held him for a couple minutes, till he began to let go. He took the paper they held previously, looking at his name. He stared hard at it, then folded it up and put it under his pillow.

“ _Is it okay if I was alone right now?”_ His voice was low and shy, Lena quickly getting up. They would go only at the pace Connor set for them and would go by his requests as often as was possible.

“ _Of course! I’ll leave this stuff here in case you want to do the tests again for fun. Till tomorrow Connor_ ” she waved and walked out. Kara was still sitting, smiling at her and giving a thumbs up.

“Good job, Lee. Alex jotted everything down and has some ideas she wanted to run by you in her office.” Kara stood and took her hand.

“I had some ideas too. Starting with turning that cell more into a room.” She linked their fingers together and looked back to Connor. He was setting out the ladder again as they watched. He was in deep concentration as he put the equipment down.

“Maybe a desk, a place for some new clothes. He may not be able to go out yet but the least we can do is make it more homey right?” Lena didn’t want him to live like a prisoner. He didn’t deserve that. He was just a boy dealt a bad hand up till now.

“I think that’s a great idea. I’ll get together with Alex on that later” Kara pulled her tighter as they watched Connor run through his own drills on the ladder. He was smiling, like it was a game.

“I wish he could come back with us” Lena longed for him to come home but sadly they had to give it time.

“I know. Me too. But we’ll get there eventually” Kara kissed her head and pulled her down the hall. Once they gave input to Alex, both his therapy and schooling could start. Lena could admit she was speed walking a little to her sister in law, wanting to get the ball rolling as quickly as possible.

They made it to Alex’s office in record time, knocking on her door before making their way inside. Her sister in law was playing with a Rubik’s cube, brows furrowed as she struggled with it. When she spotted them, she dropped the cube onto the table and tried to look official.

“Xavier does it all the time. How, I still don’t know” Alex griped, sweeping the toy into a drawer.

“Lyle too. I’ll just stick with regular puzzles, thank you very much” Kara declared as she sat in the chair in front of her sister’s desk. Lena sat in the chair beside her, crossing her legs.

“but anyway, I know you guys aren’t here to talk about my inability to solve children’s puzzles.” Alex rummaged through her desk, pulling out the clipboard from earlier. There were notes scrawled on page after page, documenting everything they saw with Connor.

“he seems to have control equal to Zorel, if only a little finer. Really, the main thing is his education. Stellar in math and science, but a blank slate in humanities.” Lena nodded, taking the clipboard into her lap.

“true. He seems to be a quick study though. I'm sure that might be Lex’s doing somehow”

“we’re working on deciphering the files we found on the Lexosuit. We’re hoping to find more on Connor, but it looks like it’ll be slow going. There's been plenty of bumps so far, but we’ll see what happens in a couple days.” Alex pulled out a laptop and began to type.

“so, what do you guys want to do? Get him a tutor? Homeschool? Kelly texted me about the therapist thing. We can set everything up, discreetly” Alex leaned back in her chair, the back squeaking as she did so.

“I feel like a kind of homeschooling might be best. That's what Eliza did for me and he’s kinda in the same boat now. Lena?” Kara looked to her. She had already been planning the road map to recovery for their son, and homeschooling till he was ready to go to public school was her plan.

“I agree. But we have to get him to a point where he feels like we’re home first, if that makes sense” Alex typed on the laptop as Lena answered.

“definitely. Getting him mentally prepared is first priority. Would you like me to contact that therapist friend of Kelly’s for you? From what I know she’s in National City now” Alex looked in the zone as she typed, face concentrated on the screen.

“that would be great. Then once he’s fit enough, he can move in with us. We’ll need time to fix up a room anyway.” Kara grabbed her hand, thumb pressed into the back of her hand comfortingly.

“I can help with that. I'm sure I can rope the kids into helping too” Alex offered with a light smile.

“okay so that's settled. There's only one thing left; birth certificate. Once I get a date of birth for him, we’re all set to get the important documents he needs” Alex waited for their response. What would his birthday be? They weren’t sure when he was “created”, nor would the day he met them be a very good choice. Kara swooped in with the answer.

“what’s today’s date?” Lena looked incredulously at her, her wife just shrugging. Was she really just picking a random date?

“what? Makes sense. Today, he officially became Connor Danvers. He’s on the path now, it only feels right today be his birthday.” Kara’s reasoning was sound, far more than Lena originally thought. She was right. Today was the birth of Connor Danvers, and his birth certificate should reflect it.

“I agree. May 30th would be perfect.” Lena was giddy. Her love for children has only grown tenfold since the twins were born, and now they were adding an unexpected child number 4 to their family. It’s a welcome surprise, even if it didn’t happen in the way they thought or wanted.

“alright, all set. I’ll let you guys know the progress tomorrow on the therapist front. I assume you told the kids?” Kara sighed at the subject, looking once again to Lena for guidance.

“Yes. Zorel didn’t take it well but the twins are excited to meet him. I think we’ll bring them tomorrow but only introduce them if Connor agrees.” Kara grunted in agreement as she shifted around in her chair. Lena watched her closely, her wife obviously feeling some level of discomfort. They would have to wrap it up soon.

“just one more thing Alex. We wanted to fix his room up a little. He’s not a prisoner and I think it would help him more if he didn’t feel like he was either.” Alex put her head on her chin, contemplating her answer.

“I can arrange that. Why don’t you guys focus on finding him some new clothes? Ill deal with the rest.” She stood up and went around to stand beside them at the front of the desk.

“you guys just head out. Kara looks dead on her feet. We can handle everything from here” Alex gently shoved Kara’s shoulder, the blonde rubbing the spot in fake hurt as she stood.

“Thanks Alex. We’ll be by tomorrow” Lena grabbed Kara and the pair walked out of the office. Once again, they were on course for another big day tomorrow, and with Zorel not exactly excited to meet Connor, it was going to be a rough one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> does anyone have any ideas for super hero names for the super siblings? ive been brainstorming some but would love any ideas you got. you guys know these kids pretty much as well as i do so shoot me ideas! whether they have super in the name or something else i would love to hear what you think!


	8. Mother, Sister, Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Super Siblings meet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have returned! got the one youve all been waiting for! super sibling time!! this one was fun to make. ive got the ideas flowing for whats next but ideas are always welcome. also if anyone has any supernames for the kids i would love to hear them! anywho, i hope you guys like it like i do! let me know what you think! hope you guys stay safe out there. till next time friends!

“Do I have to go in there?” Zorel whined. The whole family was making their way down to the lower levels of the DEO, they were all carrying bags while Kara had a couple boxes. Lena had rushed out and gathered some clothes with her wife’s help, among a few other things to make Connor more comfortable. She didn’t feel right leaving him in some spare workout clothes like that.

The bag in Zorel’s hands swung back and forth, making a crumpling sound as it made contact with his leg. He grudgingly woke up this morning, agreeing to go with them to the DEO. He complained the whole way, a reluctant helper in all this.

“Yes Zorel. You’re not getting out of this unless Connor doesn’t want to meet you yet” Kara scolded, balancing the shoe boxes in her arms as she scolded him. She was doing better today, the cut on her head healing nicely. Once her powers came back and the cut closed, they could give her a haircut. Till then, she would have to live with the choppy strands that hung around her head.

“Whatever” Zorel frowned and turned to look at the wall as they walked. Luckily, he was the only downer. Lyle and Lori were walking at the front excitedly, on the verge of running at every turn. Their chipper attitudes made the two parents far more confident about this first meeting between siblings.

“Can you just be polite to him for today? We aren’t asking you to be his best friend the minute you meet” Lena turned her head over her shoulder and watched her second oldest. He was slouching, his face stuck in a scowl as he kicked the bag in his hand.

“Now get that look off your face. It’ll get stuck that way” Lena reprimanded, though the boys face didn't loosen right away.

Zorel huffed then put on an exaggerated smile, his eyes wide and all his teeth showing. Lena’s eyebrow went up and he got the idea, his face going blank as they arrived at the room Connor was in. The glow from the red sun lamps were gone, Lena happy he didn’t need them.

The twins were in awe and so were her and Kara. Alex was true to her word. Overnight, they were able to redecorate it.

There was a real bed, a dresser, a simple wooden desk and a small fridge beside it. Along with all that, there was a few rugs strewn across the floor, covering the cold concrete there. It was more like a nice studio apartment then a cell now.

“I want a fridge in my room. That sounds _glorious.”_ Lori whispered, hands going to press against the glass.

Instead of being at the bed again, Connor was sat at the desk. He was looking through a book, though obviously not reading it as it was upside down. His face was scrunched up, eyes squinting as he scanned the page. He was still in the DEO clothes, an unzipped hoodie around his shoulder this time.

“We worked overnight. It’s all second hand but he loved it.” Alex rounded the corner, smiling in pride at their work.

“And I figured if he’s anything like Kara and the kids, he’s hungry at all times, hence the fridge” Alex pointed to the small fridge in the corner. Lena was glad he could decide when he wanted to eat. She wanted him to feel no pressure, in order to get him to feel comfortable.

“I can’t thank you enough Alex. Really” Kara told her with a grateful smile.

“Least we could do. Everyone wanted to help, and I missed 16 birthdays. I need to establish myself as the best aunt.” Alex moved to the door, taking the handle in her hand. She waited patiently as they discussed what was coming next.

“So, what’s the plan?” Alex questioned.

Lena set what she had down, gesturing for everyone else to do the same. Zorel immediately crossed his arms as he dropped his bag on the floor.

“Me and Kara will go first. We’ll tell him about the kids and if he wants, everyone can meet him” Lena could heat Lori and Lyle whisper small yeses at that. Kara stepped up and grabbed her hand, pulling her to the door.

“Let’s go” Kara turned the intercom on, leaning in close to speak into it.

“ _Connor? It’s Kara and Lena. Can we come in?”_ Connor’s head shot up, the book dropping to the desk. He looked to the door and took a deep breath.

“ _Yes!”_ He belted. Kara smiled and the two went in. Connor turned to them in his chair, his bare feet moving it over.

“ _How are you today Connor?”_ Lena asked. He shrugged but this time he was smiling. Lena loved all her children’s smiles, from Zorel and Lori’s crooked ones and Lyle’s toothy grin, but Connor’s was monumental. She doubted he smiled very often while Lex’s hostage, so they were witness to some of his firsts.

“ _Okay. The people came in and gave me all this stuff. I like it”_ he openly gestured to everything in the room. Lena got a full look at everything inside. If it weren’t for the concrete surfaces, she could mistake it for one of their rooms at their house.

“I see that! We’re happy you like it” Lena moved closer and grabbed two of the chairs leaning against the wall. She unfolded them with Kara’s help, sitting across from Connor.

“ _We brought those visitors I mentioned yesterday”_ Connor nodded, twiddling his thumbs as she talked. All of his attention was focused on her as she spoke to him.

“ _But before they come in, we want you to know who they are”_ once again the teen nodded, following the conversation. Lena shifted in her seat, leaning closer and clasping her hands together.

“ _Zorel, Lyle and Lori. They’re your brothers and sister.”_ Connor looked surprised, looking to the wall as he absorbed this new information. Lena had been twisting herself in knots, worried Connor’s reaction would be just as bad, if not worse than, Zorel’s.

“ _We are related?” He asked_ , his head tilted to one side inquisitively.

“ _Yes. Just like we are your parents, we’re theirs too”_ Lena explained. He seemed to understand as he asked no more questions. He did smile, which made Lena feel confident this will go well.

“ _Is it okay if they come in?”_ Kara asked, her Kryptonian reverberating around the room. Connor looked up at the ceiling in thought, then back at them.

“ _I would like that”_ Connor sounded timid as he said it, but Kara hopped up anyway.

“I’ll be back” Kara kissed the top of Lena’s head and went out. The mother and son waited in their seats for the rest of the family to come in. It took a few minutes but finally the door opened.

Kara held it tentatively as the twins walked in first. Lori marched right over, arms swinging. Lyle had suddenly lost the excitement, walking shyly behind his sister. They were followed sluggishly by Zorel. His mouth was pulled into an obviously uncomfortable smile. Kara had all the bags they brought dangling on her arm, to allow the kids to walk in and talk with Connor easier.

Lori came and put her arm on Lena’s chair as she sized up her brother. Lyle wasn’t far behind, coming to hold Lori’s arm as they watched Connor. The teen watched them in awe right back, waiting nervously for them to say something. Lena doubted he had seen any children before so another first.

Lori took the lead, her face morphing into a smile. Zorel was hanging back by the door still, Kara nudging him further inside. He stumbled forward a little but hardly budged.

“ _My names Lori. And this is Lyle_ ” she pointed behind her, Lyle waving from over her shoulder. Their Kryptonese was close to as good as Kara’s, Connor easily able to understand.

“ _We’re twins. I’m two minutes older_ ” Lori declared; her head held high as usual when she pointed out her older sibling status. Connor nodded and took a deep breath. His hand clenched on his lap. When it unclenched, he put it out in a handshake. Lena was biting the inside of her mouth through the whole interaction. She was crossing her fingers, hoping this all went well.

“ _I am Connor. It’s nice to meet you”_ Lori beamed as she took the hand offered. Lyle peaked over her shoulder even more, finally letting go and moving to stand beside her.

“ _We’re your younger brother and sister_ ” Lyle stayed matter of factory. Connor smiled and Lena was ready to faint out of the sheer joy she was feeling.

_They were talking! And they didn’t want to kill each other yet!_ Lena’s mind screamed.

“ _And this is Zorel. Your other younger brother_ ” Lena watched as Kara pulled Zorel by his shirt collar, the boy forgoing the struggle and letting his Jeju pull him, feet dragging.

He waved, a tight smile on his face still. Kara deposited him beside Lyle. When he didn’t say anything, Kara nudged his back with her elbow. He sighed and put out a hand. Zorel didn’t lower it for Connor to reach, the older teen having to stand to shake his hand. He was a couple inches taller than Zorel, the boy scowling as he realized he was no longer the tallest sibling.

“ _I’m Zorel. It’s nice to meet you_ ” he gritted out. One hand was clenched at his side, the other gripping Connor’s hand as the boys shook. Zorel pried his hand away and crossed his arms once more. Connor on the other hand smiled as he sat back down.

“ _Am I the oldest?”_ Connor sounded excited at the prospect. Lena nodded and went about pointing to each child. After explaining each of their ages, Connor nodded acknowledging.

“ _So that’s why they are small!”_ he pointed to the twins and Zorel, the 15-year-old frowning harder at the mention of his height _._ Kara nudged his back again and the frown disappeared. Lena laughed and agreed.

“ _Yes, that is why. Good observation Connor_ ” Lena rubbed his back and her son grinned at the praise. Their mother-son moment was interrupted by Lori. She had grabbed a bag and shoved it in her new brother’s face.

“ _We brought you stuff_.” She looked proud of herself as Connor gingerly took the bag. He opened it and examined the contents inside.

“ _We brought you mainly clothes and shoes. The bags have some notebooks, pens, markers and colored pencils. In case you get bored”_ Lena explained as the twins happily handed him his gifts. He opened each bag in wonder, their contents foreign yet exciting to him. He pulled a cap off one of the markers and went cross eyed as he looked at the tip.

“ _That’s for drawing. I’ll show you.”_ Lyle walked over and grabbed another marker and paper. He set it down on the desk and Connor watched him closely. Lori went to Connor’s other side and watched as well.

Lyle drew a small heart that he colored in quickly, not going outside the lines once. He slid the paper over and tried to hand the marker back to Connor, who looked unsure of what he was doing.

“ _Here. You try”_ Lyle pushed the marker into his hand and Connor looked down at the paper. He looked back and forth between the blank spaces left on the page and the heart. He quickly copied it and colored it in, only going outside the lines a few times.

“ _It looks nice, Connor. Do you want to draw with us?_ ” Lori grabbed a few pieces of paper and a handful of markers, dropping it all on the desk. Connor smiled as he watched them set everything up in a neat way.

“ _Yes, I do”_ _he_ answered, grabbing another marker and watching the siblings. They showed him how to draw some of the things they knew, Connor closely following along. Lena looked to Kara and Zorel.

Kara dropped down into the empty chair beside her, her arm going around Lena’s shoulder. The later had his arms crossed again, hanging by the edge of the desk. He was watching from his peripheral vision, occasionally full on looking at his siblings. He sighed and scrunched in next to Lyle.

He took a marker and a paper, joining them in the activity. As time progressed, he seemed more of a willing participant in this meeting. The sight made tears spring to Lena and Kara’s eyes. Their kids were welcoming their new brother. It would be time till they were as close to him as they were each other but this was a great start. She was sure Zorel would come fully around soon enough.

Lena rubbed at her eyes, trying to stop the tears that were flowing. Kara pulled her head down onto her shoulder, her face wet as well but they were both smiling. This time, it was all happy years.

Connor looked at them with a big smile and Lena was sure, this was the best moment of her life.


	9. A New Day Will Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena shares some anxieties

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everybody! i thought i would post another before i disappear for a while. i signed up for summer classes and i also bought the last of us part 2 so im going to be very busy for the next week or so. ive been dying to play this game but i will return! i hope you like this chapter. i thought it was pretty cute if i do say so myself. ive got plenty ideas of how this bad boy will go, and its going to be a wild ride so buckle up! feel free to let me know your ideas or what you think about this fic! hope youre all doing well friends! until next time!!!

Kara rubbed the sleep from her eyes, her and Lena’s bedroom pitch black as she drearily opened them. She could see the shadows from a full moon outside in their yard. It cast a particularly earie shadow on what she soon realized was Lori’s bike in their front yard. She rolled her eyes and told herself to remind their daughter in the morning about putting her things away.

She signed and rolled over to wrap her arms tightly around Lena and begin to attempt to sleep but was met with rumpled, cold sheets. Opening her eyes again, she saw the space was devoid of her wife. Lena’s side of the bed, and their room for that matter, was empty aside from herself.

She turned on her stomach and grabbed the electric clock on Lena’s nightstand. She squinted at it, preparing for the burning sensation it would do to her poor eyes. It read 3:17 am, the light attacking her tired eyes immediately, as she expected. She set the clock face down, the blaring numbers now hidden from view. She sighed once again and sat up with a huff.

She moved to the edge of the bed and sat for a minute, gathering the strength to get up at this ungodly hour. If there was one thing she hated, it was waking up before 10 on a weekend. If the bed was anything to go by, Lena hadn’t laid there in quite some time and Kara figured she knew exactly where she was.

She groaned as she stood up, doing her best to avoid the wooden floorboards that creaked. The last thing she needed was all the kids waking up and getting curious. They would never get them to go back to sleep then.

Carefully, she made her way through their quiet house, cursing as she stepped on a Lego in the disaster area now known as their living room. With the kids home for the summer, their messes had spread from their rooms to the whole house, especially the living room.

It made Lena’s head nearly explode when she came home from work one day and saw the state of their house. Her wife always prided herself on being tidy, so to see board games, dirty shoes, and a slew of other items strewn about every surface in their home, let’s just say she wasn’t happy. If the stern talking to Kara was given later that day was anything to go by that is.

She lifted her foot, seeing that the poor Lego block was now a Lego pancake. Having been crushed beneath her feet, she would have to throw it out and buy Lyle another one. The boy loved his collection, so she owed him a replacement at least. She picked it up and shoved it in her pocket before moving on to her destination. She continued walking to the door leading to the garage, smiling as she heard noise from inside.

When Lena bought the house, she had immediately turned the garage into a small workshop. A workbench and a shelf with some tools were crammed in, leaving just enough room for a little extra storage space and Lena’s prized Tesla. It wasn’t a traditional workshop, but it worked well.

She would on many occasions, find Lena working on a new project, face pulled into concentration as she crunched numbers and typed code. She loved to watch her at work, to see the genius in her element.

It was another place her wife was unguarded. With her glasses on and hair tied up in a quick ponytail or bun, Kara felt privileged to see that side of Lena. They may have been married for a decade by now but even still, she fell a little more in love every time she saw the brunette.

She grabbed the handle of the garage door and gingerly turned it so as to not startle her wife. Sure enough, Lena was hunched over her workbench, a magnifying glass pointed at a small motherboard she held between her fingers.

Lena had her glasses on yet was still squinting, deep in her work as she soldered a wire to the small board. When she was successful, she leaned back and smiled at her work. She then looked around the desk and deflated with a sigh.

The poor surface was a mess. It was full of various components that Kara didn’t know the purpose of, tools she didn’t know how to use, and papers full of ideas and schematics she didn’t understand. The notes were the most interesting though.

Some notes were on simple blank pieces of paper with the LCorp logo at the top, others on napkins and scraps of paper. Then even some were on what Kara recognized as pages from Lyle’s Justice League coloring book, notes jotted down on the corner of the page. A picture of Batwoman messily colored in the middle in a deep orange was carefully avoided by scribblings of numbers.

Kara couldn’t help but giggle and move to stand behind her wife, leaning down to put her head on her shoulder. Lena stiffened at first but when a kiss was pressed into the side of her head she relaxed. Kara wrapped her arms around Lena as they began to speak in hushed tones.

“hard at work I see. What is it today?” Kara questioned. She could make sense of some of the notes, but others still were foreign to her. Lena looked around her desk and sighed once again.

“I thought I would make a translator for Connor for now. His English has gotten so much better but I thought it would be easier for him to feel comfortable if everything was translated for him temporarily, in real time too” Lena smiled and picked up a small hearing aid shaped piece. She held it in front of her face and handed it to Kara.

She moved the aid in her hand, examining it in awe. Her wife was so many things; a spectacular mother, kickass CEO, but wonderfully thoughtful was present in everything she did and this was just another example of that.

“this is incredible Lena! I'm sure he’ll appreciate it” Kara handed the gadget back to her wife and watched as she went back work.

“I haven’t been able to figure out a way for him to speak Kryptonese and have it translated to English but with how much his English has progressed, he might not need it by the time I'm done” Lena laughed, flipping through her notes once again. Her fingers skimmed some scribbles on a Noonan’s napkin as they talked.

“well that's okay. We all speak Kryptonese, and with that Kryptonian program you made, he’s been able to see that Dr. Nelson just fine” Kara assured her, rubbing her shoulders. Lena frowned and kept her eyes trained on the hearing aid. Kara knew she needed to solidify things again.

“Lena, we are doing everything we can to help him. And he’s gotten a lot better since we first met! At this rate, he might be able to come home with us before the school year starts” Lena nodded but her eyes still held hurt in them. Kara thought things were going unexpectedly well but knew the anxiety Lena had.

Connor had been steadily getting more comfortable with them. It had been a bit of a struggle to get him to go to therapy, but he enjoys it now. She could remember the look on his face the first time they went.

The first thing he did was turn to them and ask if he had to go. They promised if he didn’t like it, they wouldn’t come back, but an hour later when he walked out, he asked when the next session was. He’s enjoyed it so they’ve been steadily going for the past few months problem free.

“is it about the Lexosuit data?” Kara questioned. Her wife visibly shivered at the mention of the suit. It was a sore topic, and one of great importance not just for them and their family, but for the DEO as well.

Lena and the DEO had been working nonstop for months now to decrypt Lex’s files he kept on his suit. Lena had jumped into it immediately, going nonstop for days until Kara forced her to take a break. Yet even still, she couldn’t resist the many long nights. It was taking its toll on her, Kara could tell. Her eyes always looked exhausted and had bags, she was never very alert anymore, and she had to turn the kids down when they asked to play with her on more than one occasion.

She knew how Lena could be. She had a one-track mind, and when she had her heart set on something, especially this important, nothing would stop her. Not even sheer exhaustion. Her wife never did anything half way, and this time would be no different.

“yeah. I'm just worried” Lena whispered, her voice wobbling. Kara understood those worries. She was feeling the same things. There was still so much they didn’t know about Lex’s plans, and the data they found didn’t help those worries either.

Not long after getting into the first files, they discovered Lex had a partner. They were simply known as ‘The Assistant’ in the notes Lex left behind. They weren’t present that day they found Connor, and they have yet to make themselves known which was hindering their ability to find whoever it is. This person could be anywhere and the thought of someone coming at any time to take Connor or worse hurt him and their family, terrified them both.

“we’ll catch them, whoever they are. I can guarantee you that.” Kara’s voice was harsh, a tone she rarely ever used. No one hurts their children and gets away with it, that was. It certain. It didn’t matter if she had to fly to the edge of the galaxy herself, whoever helped Lex would be brought to justice and forced to face their crimes.

“I know we will. But doesn’t stop me from not being able to sleep at night” Lena looked sadly at the desk, eyes beginning to water. Lena loved their children to death, and she knew that Lena felt she wasn’t doing enough. She had told her as much a few nights ago in quiet sobs. Kara crouched beside her wife, taking her hands in hers and looking at her face deeply.

“we will be okay” Kara caressed her cheek, Lena sinking into the touch. The tears still freely fell, finding their way between Kara’s palm and Lena’s cheek.

“because we have each other” Kara came up and kissed her, her wife eagerly accepting.

“I know, I just can’t help it” Lena told her as they pulled apart. Lena played with a strand of her hair, a stray tear crawling down her cheek once again. Kara swooped in and wiped the tear, Lena gratefully smiling at her.

“we’re moms. Worry is just a part of the deal” Lena laughed as quietly as she could and pulled Kara in for a hug. When they pulled apart again, Lena took a steadying breath and looked down at the desk.

“so tomorrow, I was thinking” Kara started as Lena went back to work. Her wife turned her head slightly as a sign she was still listening.

“tomorrow?” Lena waited for the answer.

“how about we take Connor outside. He’s been handling everything well, he can handle his powers..” Kara trailed off and Lena snapped her head to Kara, opening and closing her mouth. She looked nervous at the prospect of taking Connor to the outside world.

“you think it’ll be okay?” Lena asked anxiously. Kara nodded before she even finished the sentence.

“more than. We could just go to the park near the DEO, take a little walk around, maybe get lunch.” Kara waited for Lena’s approval. She of course loved Connor, but she also knew that the bond between him and Lena was already growing strong. Maybe her wife felt a measure of guilt, feeling she had to once again make up for her brother’s shortcomings and atrocities.

But that was a subject to broach another time.

“I think that would be good for him. An introduction to the outside world.” Kara smiled, taking Lena’s hand again. She held onto her tight, hoping to transfer some of her happiness and hope to the mother of her children.

“My thoughts exactly” Kara couldn’t wait to go back to sleep. The sooner they got through the day, the sooner they would get to show Connor all the world has to offer.


	10. Look to the West

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zorel and Connor have a mini breakthrough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and im back! sorry, i got sucked into the last of us then had to emotionally recover by playing lots of other happy games lol i forget the last time i updated but im here with a pretty long one for you! just some cute family things for now. let me know what you think about this bad boy, love hearing what you all think of this story. the next chapter will be their actual outing together so watch out for that. i keep coming up with new ideas for this fic so we'll see how long it goes on. im guessing 15 chapters but if im being honest might end up being more. we shall see! anyhow, until next time friends! hope youre all doing well!

Kara walked briskly down the upstairs hallway, making a beeline for Zorel’s room. She could hear music coming from inside, the teenager not bothering to lower it. He must be playing video games. She smiled as he defended the practice of playing loud music during a gaming session. 

_ “You need a soundtrack Jeju! It feels cooler that way!”  _

__

She pulled up to his door and knocked as loudly as she could without busting a hole through his new door. There was some shuffling and the music was turned down before the door was ripped open. She spotted Zorel dashing back to his chair and pulling his headphones back on. They didn’t land right, only one ear covered by the headphones, but he was obviously too busy to fix it.

He was deep in concentration already, frowning at is screen as his hands moved quickly across his keyboard. Before she could ask him anything, he shook his head. 

“It’s an online game Jeju. Can’t talk for another 2 minutes” he told her sternly as he moved his mouse. Kara recognized the game to be a first-person shooter but which one, she could hardly tell. 

He had explained it all to her of course but Kara struggled to follow along most times. Lena understood better. Kara had grown up without video games, the commodity unknown on Krypton and Alex wasn’t big on it growing up. Her wife on the other hand, was much the opposite in this department. 

According to her, Lex was a video game nerd to the extreme. With the vast Luthor wealth at their disposal and Lionel to spoil them, they had all the consoles a kid in the 90s/early 2000s could want. While her and Zorel bonded on many things, this was his and his mom’s thing. Kara was content to stay on the sidelines with her simple games like candy crush. 

“Ah excuse me. I guess I’ll just tell Alex you can’t train today” Kara moved to leave the room but stopped when she heard the computer turn off and Zorel sped to her side. He used super speed to grab the DEO issue duffle bag Alex gave him and was already ahead of her. He took a single step out his door when Kara spoke.

“But there’s one condition” Zorel stopped in his tracks and waited, his foot tapping quickly on the floor. 

“You say hi to Connor” Zorel’s excitement was gone, replaced with a deep frown. 

“Really Jeju?” He groaned. His head fell back, and his arms hung loosely at his sides. She was expecting this reaction from him if she was being honest with herself.

In the weeks since meeting Connor, every interaction between the two brothers was forced. None of Zorel’s smiles were genuine nor he didn’t want to talk to Connor. Just being in his brother’s presence seemed to annoy him. 

Her and Lena weren’t going to quit but this was surely easier said then done. Or at least as easy as their other children’s relationship with their new brother.

The twins and Connor had gotten along swimmingly so far. Both Lyle and Lori loved to spend time with him, always asking them when they could go see him next. Kara had even heard them bragging to other kids about their ‘super cool older brother’. 

“Just a hi. Then you can go do whatever it is you do with Alex” Kara pleaded, putting on her best puppy dog eyes. Zorel rolled his eyes and sighed loudly. His defense was weakening, she knew it.

“Whatever. I guess I could” he turned his head away and walked down the steps, his movements not as chipper as they were before. 

Kara knew they just had to give it time, that eventually they would warm up to each other and be the best of brothers, but golly was it frustrating at times. Their family wasn’t built in a day, but sometimes she wished things could just move faster. 

She followed after her son, seeing Lena ruffle his hair as he walked out the door. She held her car keys in one hand and the other was placed on her hip. Her head was tilted at Kara and there was that ever-present smirk on her face. 

“Let’s get a move on before it starts to get hot out Kar. I really don’t feel like walking in the heat” Lena told her as she turned to the twins playing in the living room. Nia was dutifully watching them both with a grin. Lena pointed at the two children and raised an eyebrow. 

“Now you be good for auntie Nia. I don’t want to get a call about any broken windows again” their children nodded vigorously, wishing to avoid their mother’s wrath. Lena’s stern face disappeared, replaced by a smile. 

“I love you two.” She started simply and walked out the door. The twins yelled out some ‘love you toos’ as Lena left, Nia waving as she went.

Kara could feel a surge of confidence as she blew kisses to her youngest children and walked out the door. She felt today is going to be a good day, and no one was going to get in the way of that. 

Kara felt giddy as well. Connor would finally get to see the outside, not just from a window at the DEO or in a picture on Lena’s phone, but firsthand. 

Kara remembered how it felt the first time she went to National City with the Danvers. Before that trip, her world was simply the small town of Midvale. Going to the city was like an eye opener to what Earth had to offer.

She had been with her new family for a little over a year when Jeremiah suggested the road trip from Midvale to the city. It seemed extravagant to her as a 13-year-old alien, although probably fairly normal to everyone else. 

They had all packed into the family mini van, Kara sitting beside their bags in the back seat for the 2-hour drive to their little motel at the edge of the city. They arrived early in the day, the city fully alive and bustling outside the window of their small room.

It was all so new and exciting to her at the time. A major city, on a new planet, with things she had never seen before. Everything caught her attention, and it all seemed like the most interesting thing she had seen in her life. 

She almost laughed now at how excited she was. She remembered being amazed at the hot dog stand they found in downtown. The idea amazed her and on occasion it still does. 

She imagined Connor was much like that. Though he’s from Earth, he’s hardly seen any of it. He doesn’t know how it feels to stand on the coast and feel the ocean breeze. Doesn’t know the sounds the birds make in the early morning light. He doesn’t know the wonders of a street vendor hot dog when you’re starving. 

(Admittedly that last one hurt Kara feelings a little more than the others)

She finally pulled open the front seat and plopped down next to Lena, her wife kissing her cheek before backing out of the driveway. She could hear their son gag at their PDA but she shrugged it off. 

The ride was more quiet than usual, Zorel throwing on a pair of headphones instead of talking to them like he usually did. Kara figured it was because of his soured mood at being forced to talk to Connor at all.

Kara chose to stare out the window, appreciating the scenery as they entered National City, quickly approaching the DEO headquarters. Zorel seemed to sink in his seat further as he knew his first task once they were inside. 

When they parked Kara undid her seatbelt and began to turn so she could talk to Zorel but was stopped by a hand on her forearm. Lena was looking at her with that _‘I got this’_ look that she had. Kara knew whatever Lena was wanting to say to Zorel would be good, so she simply nodded and got out the car. 

She waited for a few minutes off to the side, wondering what was going on back in the car. After successfully memorizing all the license plates near their car, both Lena and Zorel finally came out, Lena quickly pulling their son to her and hugging him tight as they walked to her. 

They both passed her up and went straight to the elevator leading to the command center. Lena quickly reached back and pulled her along, ignoring the questioning look on her face.

The ride up was equally as silent as the car ride, the silence killing her. Kara looked back and forth to her wife and son, hoping to get some kind of hint as to what they talked about, but she got none. 

Lena did look at her with a pleading look, possibly meaning she would tell her later. 

When the elevator came to a halt, Zorel walked out first and went straight to the stairs leading deeper into the DEO. He stopped at the top and turned around. He rolled his eyes and beckoned for them to follow. 

“we don’t have all day right mom?” he asked rhetorically. The two moved to catch up, Zorel skipping steps as they went down. 

When they got to where Connor was staying, Zorel was still a boy on a mission. He stopped in front of Connor’s door and gestured for Kara to open it first. 

His actions were definitely opposite of how he usually was when they came to see his brother. Whatever Lena said must be working. 

Connor was sitting at his desk inside, an open notebook on his desk. He was working on something, but Kara couldn’t see exactly what it was he was doing. 

In the months they had gotten to know him, the notebook had been a constant, always within his reach. They were inseparable and Kara would be lying if she said she didn’t want to know what was inside. Though for someone with a window for a wall, she figured this should stay private for as long as he wanted. 

Kara pressed the intercom button, leaning in close to speak into it. It beeped, letting both her and Connor know it was on.

“Hey Connor, can we come in?” the teen looked to the door and nodded, putting his pencil down and closing the notebook. He fiddled with the pages edges as Kara opened the door and smiled. Her family followed suit, Lena’s smile even bigger than her own. 

Zorel was sluggish coming in but still managed a mostly genuine smile behind her shoulder.

“are you excited Connor?” Lena asked as she went around to stand at his side. The teen nodded, looking down at his notebook.

“ _yes, I’ve been thinking about it all day”_ he answered in his perfect Kryptonian. He seemed more at ease when having a conversation now that he had the hearing aid Lena gave him. His answers were quicker and more confident.

Kara was even more excited now knowing Connor had been looking forward to their trip. She almost wanted to jump around in her joy but decided to keep in.

“We’re glad! Its going to be a lot of fun.” Lena answered as Kara walked around his room. She couldn’t help but eye all the new decorations along the walls. It looked like Connor had put them up himself, most of them held up on the wall with scotch tape. There were some pages ripped from magazines of different household appliances or technology with little notes alongside them in Kryptonian, but there was a certain group of makeshift posters that caught her eye.

They were drawings, some on lined paper, some on blank paper, in different mediums ranging from pens to crayons. They were of places Kara could recognize. There was an exact copy of the white house, another of what looked to be LCorp tower, among many other famous places. She was fairly certain they were all pictures Lena had shown him recently but, she would have to ask him about all those later. 

Kara was pulled from the drawings as she saw Zorel shuffle to her. He was attempting to subtly pull on her shirt, vying for her attention.

_ Right, our agreement  _ she remembered. She put a hand on Zorel’s shoulder and smiled wider than before. Zorel’s shoulders were tight as she cleared her throat.

“Zorel has something to say before we head out” Connor’s face lit up at this and the sight made Kara’s soul feel lighter. Her eldest son looked so happy to know Zorel wanted to talk to him. She wondered if he knew Zorel wasn’t fond of him yet. She hoped not, but their son was too bright, so she doubted it.

“Really?” Connor asked in English this time. Kara noticed he was mixing it in more and more whenever he spoke.

“Yeah, I just wanted to say hi and I hope you have fun” Zorel told him sheepishly. Connor smiled and sat up straighter in his chair at his brother’s words. Kara was surprised. That was far more than what she had asked of Zorel and he actually seemed sincere. 

“Thank you Zorel” Connor answered coolly, though he seemed giddy at his brother’s words. It reminded her briefly of the first time Alex was kind to her, the memory creating a similar reaction to Connor’s. Lena stood with her hand on Connor’s shoulder looking proud. She winked at Zorel, who simply looked away in turn. 

“well, I'm gonna go train now so bye” he answered quickly. He was gone within seconds, leaving the three of them alone. He held up his end of the bargain and then some, she would have to thank him later for that.

Lena spoke first, hand going to Connor’s back as she looked down at him.

“why don’t you get dressed? It’s a warm one out there, so I would wear some shorts and a t-shirt” she patted his back and pulled Kara out the door. They waited off to the side to give Connor some privacy and Kara took the opportunity to talk to her wife.

“what did you say to Zorel? He was completely different in there then usual.” Lena linked their arms and looked off into space as she answered.

“that it would mean a lot to Connor if he talked to him a little. Told him how Connor asked about him a lot.” Lena sighed happily.

“you know him. Hes just too kind to be completely cold to someone who is hurting like that.” Kara felt like a light bulb went off above her head. She had been trying for weeks to get through to their son, but she apparently had been going about it all wrong. 

She thought that if she pressed that Connor is his brother, he would break down. Maybe they had to show him who Connor is first, and they would become brothers second. It made sense that Lena’s tactic would work better. 

“and this is why I love you” Kara told the brunette as she placed a kiss in her hair. Lena laughed and turned her head to kiss Kara’s cheek.

“I know” she smirked and turned her head back to the now opening door of Connor's room. Their son walked out in a simple white t-shirt and black basketball shorts, a pair of blue slip ons on his feet. 

He looked nervous as he walked to them, his left hand was clenching the end of his shorts, the other holding a pencil and his notebook. He was biting his lip, looking to them for what they would do next. 

“lets head out shall we?” Lena took the lead and walked ahead, Connor following her closely. Their son was still toying with his shorts, teeth clamped down on his lip. His nervousness at going outside was obviously not yet gone. 

Kara could see Lena look over to him and lean over. She smiled and put a soft hand on his back.

“you’ll love it out there Connor, I promise” the CEO told him, his lip no longer trapped by his teeth. He gave her a nervous smile and looked back to Kara before looking straight once again. He seemed determined now, and Kara couldn’t be happier.


	11. The Tree by the Brook

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> family fun at the park

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have returned with another chapter for you! its cute family stuff again. For anyone who didn’t read the others, I mention a past story in this series where Kara dies. She was dead for about 5 years and in that time ZorEl was born. Just so you’re not confused. not sure just how many chapters there will be but im fairly certain itll be around 20, give or take a few. let me know what you guys think or if you have any ideas about anything! for anyone wondering, this series is possibly a little less than half over? maybe? im always down to write more for it though if i have the ideas. but dont worry, there will be more super family after this fic! i already have a lot of the stories planned so stay tuned! anyhow, i hope you like this chapter! till next time friends, hope you all stay safe!

“so what do you want to do first Connor?” Lena asked, eyeing the rear-view mirror as they pulled out of the DEO parking lot. Connor was looking out the window curiously, his mouth hanging open slightly.

He wasn’t pulled from his wonder either, as when they pulled out of the garage, they were greeted by National City proper. His mouth might have just hit the floor as Lena turned out of the lot.

There were dozens of people on the streets, the residents of National City enjoying the sunny day in the city. From groups of teenagers giggling together, to families holding hands as they happily walked down the street. There was joy in every corner and Lena would thank whoever was watching for making sure Connor got the best first impression of the city possible.

Lena thought to give him a few minutes and drove in circles till Connor was ready to talk again. After a few laps, their son’s head turned to them.

“any ideas of what you want to do today?” Kara asked this time. Connor looked back out the window and then down at the notebook he brought along. He opened it and flipped through a few pages, stopping near the front of the book. He scanned the page fort a few seconds and looked back up at them.

“ _Nia showed me a picture of a_ park _called_ unity park. _I would like to go there”_ he told them in a mix of English and Kryptonian once again. He hesitated before saying the name of the park, either because of the English or he wasn’t sure of the name. Kara smiled and pointed forward at the busy street in front of them.

“on to Unity park!” she declared, causing Connor to giggle. Hearing him laugh, even if it was a little one, made her want to stop the car, get out, and dance. Their first trip outside has so far been a success and she hoped to keep that energy going.

“onwards then” Lena said with the same enthusiasm as her wife, making a u-turn for the nearby park. It was a simple park she had built the year Zorel was born. After Supergirl’s death, seemingly permanent at the time, the city wanted to honor the hero somehow.

Lena had jumped at the opportunity, offering to build a park around the statue of Kara. She owned the land and was looking for any way to remember her and it was the first chance she had to do so.

Plenty of Supergirl memorials and commemorations followed but unity park was the first. For that reason, it held a special place in her heart. when Supergirl made her surprise return, the park increased in popularity. It was now just the statue, a playground and a small field. There had even been requests to expand it. If this became Connor’s favorite park, maybe she would work on that.

“you know, I don’t think I’ve ever been to unity park. Flew past it plenty but not actually walked around.” Kara stated, hand going to her chin.

“there will be a lot of firsts today!” Lena smiled and turned once again. Peeking into the backseat, Lena saw Connor looking up at all the skyscrapers, marveling them as they passed. His eyes were practically twinkling at all the new sights.

“do you want to get anything to eat?” she asked, Kara going to answer first. Her wife’s hands went to her stomach.

“well actu- “Lena gave her the side eye.

“I know you do. I meant Connor” Kara awkwardly laughed then pouted. Connor smiled and the action made Kara’s pout disappear, replaced with a bright smile. He went through his notebook again and looked back and forth between them and the book as he answered Lena.

“ _I would like something. James mentioned a_ big belly burger?” he looked confused as he read the name of the restaurant and seemed to read it again to make sure he got the name right.

“that is a great idea Connor! I would love a burger right now and it just so happens there's one by the park” when Lena parked the car down the street from the park, they went straight to the big belly burger. They were quickly met with a line going out the shop, and steadily getting bigger.

“seems we weren’t the only ones craving a burger today” Kara quipped, looking around for another place to no avail. Lena saw Connor deflated at the prospect of not going to the place James recommended.

Kara must have noticed too as she beamed and put a hand on Connor’s shoulder.

“why don’t you guys go and find us a spot at the park? I’ll wait here for our food” she left little time for an answer as she got in line and shooed them away.

“I think I have a blanket in the car. Why don’t we go get that and sit on the grass while we wait?” Connor nodded and the pair began the walk back to the car. Lena looked over her shoulder and saw Kara wave to them from her spot at the back of the line. She also saw Connor stop for a second and jot something down before jogging to catch up with her.

“I saw you brought your notebook. Its really important to you huh?” Lena commented as she opened the trunk, grabbing the blanket from there. Connor gripped his book and nodded.

“do you just write in it?” she asked. She hoped she didn’t cross any boundaries here. she knew that at his age she wanted nothing more than a little freedom and privacy.

“no. I draw too” he told her in quick English. He was being shy and looked down at his notebook as they made their way into the park.

“I saw the drawings in your room. They’re amazing sweetheart!” Lena watched his reaction closely. His face turned red at the compliment and he tripped over his feet as they walked further in the park.

_This boy is definitely our son_ Lena mused to herself.

“ _they’re okay”_ he whispered as he gathered himself again. Lena would have no comments like that around here.

“they’re really good Connor. You should feel proud of them.” she ruffled his hair and he smiled at her. His smile was a lot like Kara and Zorel’s. If only her other son could see the similarities like she could.

“you know, Kara draws too. I know she would love to draw with you” Connor looked surprised at the fact and opened the book to write something again. Lena thought that his need to take notes might be something she would have done too in his position.

“where did you get all the ideas for them from?” she figured she knew the answer but was wanting to hear from Connor more.

“ _the textbooks you left. I thought they were…_ important _if they were in those books”_ Lena was happy to know he was looking in all the books she left. She had hoped the textbooks would help him learn some on his own outside of her study sessions with him after work.

“have you enjoyed those textbooks?” Lena fished, hoping to find out a little more of what was going on in her son’s mind.

“yes. _I like learning”_ Connor answered happily. She knew Lyle would just love to have a partner in all his scholarly endeavors. Lori and Zorel were smart, but they didn’t enjoy studying just for fun.

“I'm glad! I can get you some more if you like” they passed by the playground, Connor looking beyond her to see the yelling children run by. He wrote again in his book and almost tripped over a rock from his lack of attention to the path. Lena was glad her children were made of sturdier stuff, because if not, there would be a lot more broken bones in their home.

They continued walking for a few minutes and stopped when they came to the field. There were quiet a few people but there was more than enough space for the three of them to sit. Lena looked to Connor and gestured to a spot under a large tree.

“do you want to sit there?” Connor eyed the spot and just nodded. The pair walked over, and Lena unfurled the blanket, setting it down on the slightly damp ground beneath the shade of the tree. They sat together, Connor quickly sitting crisscross on one edge and leaving ample space for Lena to sit next to him.

They just took in the noise of the park for a few minutes, Lena taking the opportunity to watch her son closely.

He eyed the other park goers warily, his hand clutching the grass tightly. Before he could pull the ground up, he went and grabbed his pencil and notebook. He flipped to an empty page and his pencil moved furiously. She figured he was using super speed, as his hand was blurring in place. When he finished, he smiled at the page and closed it again.

He looked around the park again and leaned back, arms supporting him as his spread his legs out and sighed. He gazed at her, going back and forth to his hands then to her.

He sat up and began to play with his fingers as he asked her a question.

“ _what_ happened _to that man?_ _Who was he_?” his voice was small and if they weren’t sitting so close, she would have missed it. She wasn’t sure where this was coming from but had to dig further.

“what man?” she asked. She wracked her brain for what he could possibly be asking about but drew a blank at every turn. Connor kept his eyes away from her as he clarified.

“ _the one from when I met Kara_. The one who hurt me” his voice was even quieter this time, but Lena understood. He wanted to know about Lex of all people. Just thinking of his name made her insides turn.

She had gotten his ashes a long time ago and left the burden of responsibility with her mother. Lillian said she poured them into the ocean, and she thought that was the last she would have to deal with him. She should’ve known Connor would bring it up at some point.

“do you really want to know about that Connor?” Lena looked at him sadly. The Lex he met was not the one Lena liked to acknowledge was her brother. That man was a sad mutation of her brother, but it was sadly the one everyone knew.

“yes. _Ms. Inoue said I have to come to terms with what happened. I want to do that, but I don’t know everything that happened”_ Connor pulled a blade of grass and played with it as he confessed this to her. She watched as he ripped up the grass, the pieces getting blown away by the wind.

“are you sure?” she wanted to be as cautious as possible. Would his doctor be okay with this? Was this best for him?

She reminded herself they wanted to make sure he did things on his own terms. They didn’t tell him when he first came with them. Now he was asking, so maybe that meant now he was ready to handle it. Lena took a deep breath and dove right in.

“his name was Alexander. We called him Lex. He was my brother” Connor looked shocked at the new information but quickly schooled his face and asked more questions.

“ _brother?”_ Connor questioned, leaning in close to her. He was invested now, it seemed.

“yes. Older brother. But he had changed over time, Became so angry with everyone, including me.” The memory of his changes through their lives flashed through her mind like a film reel. Looking back now, there seemed to be so many moments in which she could have saved him but didn’t. The guilt had subsided some, but it still reared its head at times.

“he hated aliens. Especially Supergirl and Superman. Tried to kill both of them many times” Connor nodded in understanding as Lena went on.

“ _but what happened to him now? Where is he?”_ Connor sounded nervous, as if he felt he knew the answer but was afraid to hear it out loud. Lena took a deep breath. Even she was scared to say the answer he was looking for.

“he’s…dead, Connor” she said slowly as if to make the impact lighter. It didn’t work as her son looked like he had been punched in the face. His eyes then began to water, and Lena became even more worried than before.

“it _was_ me!” he said in the most defeated voice she had ever heard. His lip began to wobble as he wiped at his eyes.

“ _I wasn’t sure. I thought I remembered but now I know”_ he was full on crying by this point, tears falling freely from his eyes as he futilely tried to stop the flow. Lena jumped to his defense right away, scooting over and putting a hand on his.

“you weren’t in control Connor. Its okay. You didn’t know” Lena’s attempt to comfort him didn’t work as he put his head in his hands and wept.

“ _I killed someone”_ he was obviously heartbroken at the news and Lena felt she just pulled them back a thousand steps. She pulled him in for a hug, his head falling to her shoulder. His tears wet her shirt but that was the least of her worries right now.

“I know honey, I know. You were protecting yourself and you were scared. No one is angry with you” Lena ran her fingers through his hair, trying anything to calm him down as he sobbed. His arms wrapped around her, curling into her shirt tightly. His body shook violently in her arms and her heart broke for him.

The hand this child was dealt was so wrong and Lena would do anything to make it better. She wanted nothing more than to ease his pain because it hurt her to see him like this. She could feel her own tears begin to form but pushed it away. Connor needs her in this moment.

“just let it out Connor. Moms got you” she kissed the side of his head and held on tight. His crying subsided soon enough, but he still held onto her for dear life. She didn’t mind, never would.

“we love you Connor. Nothing could change that” she assured him. His hold on her loosened and his crying soon stopped altogether. While she comforted him, Kara approached with bags in hand. She had a smile as she approached.

“woo! took a while to find you! Hopefully none of the food got cold” she looked through the bags.

“I got you a burger Connor because you just have to try one!” she took a burger out and eyed it as she got closer. There was still a smile on her face up until she looked at them and saw the scene before her. The smile fell away, and she ran over, falling down onto the ground beside Connor.

She asked no questions, just joined the hug and squeezed them both tight. Her chin went to the top of Connor’s head and she whispered comforting words as they held each other.

When Connor started to pull away, the two parents relented and backed off. He rubbed his face as he sat back up. He looked at both of them, then at the bag of food next to Kara and did his best to smile.

“ _James said that the best burger is the_ cheesy double.” He pointed at the notebook by his feet, indicating he had written it down. He must not want to talk about what just happened any further. Kara smiled.

“Lucky for you, that's what I ordered” she reached into the bag and grabbed the first burger, wrapped in greasy paper. Connor took it and ripped the paper open, taking a big first bite. He chewed with a contemplative look on his face. When he swallowed, it was immediately followed by a smile.

“I'm going to have to have everything on the menu. Just to make sure James was right” both Kara and Lena laughed. That was a _very_ Danvers thing to say. Kara nudged him with her elbow as she grabbed her own burger and handed another to Lena.

” I’ll have to join you on that quest.” She shook her burger in the air before opening the paper and taking a rather large bite.

they all ate quickly, having not realize just how hungry they all were. As they cleaned up the mess, they just sat and enjoyed the afternoon. Lena had an idea though and turned to Connor.

“so, Connor. Any questions or comments so far?” Connor lit up at that, his eyes going wide and going to grab his notebook.

“yes! _So many! First, was that a playground those children were playing on? Lyle told me about them, but I hadn’t seen a picture!”_ he fumbled with his notebook as he read off more questions. Kara and Lena answered what they could, smiling the whole time.

His questions were on a range of things, from what a burger is made of to what type of grass they were sitting on. there were a few they couldn’t answer, so Lena told him to circle them and they could look it up later. The suggestion made their son’s eyes light up like she had never seen.

Connor was most likely the most curious person Lena had ever met and she loved the desire he had to know the answers to his burning questions.

he flipped to a page near the beginning of his notebook and looked sheepishly at her and Kara.

“ _when is Lori, Lyle and Zorel’s birthday?”_ he put his head down, eyes kept on the page as he waited for an answer.

“Lori and Lyle’s birthdays are on October 15 and Zorel’s is actually in two weeks. June 29” Kara answered. Connor excitedly wrote the dates down. Kara put a gentle hand on his arm.

“we’re going to have a party for him. Just family. Why don’t we check in with Dr. Inoue at your appointment tomorrow and see if you can come?” Connor’s eyes went wide. He had no answer other than a nod. Lena felt her mouth break into a large grin. Would Zorel be happy about Connor being there? Probably not, but they would work on that when it came.

Connor continued to ask questions, and when they had answered what they could, Connor looked more excited than he had the whole time they had known him. Lena wanted to do everything she could to memorize that face. She hoped to see it more often from now on.

He held the notebook close to his chest and looked at his parents lovingly.

“best day ever” he sighed.

Lena was ready to cry again at that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> any ideas for any super names for the kids? ive been drawing a blank!


	12. Don't Know What's Wrong (Or What's Right)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> exciting developments for the Danvers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and im back! just finish ghost of tsushima and im ready to return to civilization now! this is a short one that i didnt think really fit into the chapter before or after. im gonna start working on this more! im determined! stay tuned because the next chapter will be right up! hope you enjoy this! let me know what you think!

Kara and Lena sat beside the door of Connor’s room, holding tightly onto each other’s hand as they waited for his therapy session to finish.

Kara realized that today’s session was going on much longer than usual. She wondered if that was a good or bad sign, desperately hoping for the former. Though, she couldn’t help the nervousness she felt that maybe it was the later, her leg moving up and down in anxiety.

Lena’s free hand snapped down to her knee, caressing it to try and get her to stop. She didn’t have the physical power to stop her leg from moving but the simple touch calmed her down. Kara smiled at her, though it was a half-hearted one.

“I'm sure they’re fine” Lena assured, maybe more her own nerves than Kara’s. The blonde sighed and put her head in her hand. When Lena had told her yesterday what made Connor cry, she had agonized over it. She laid in bed all night, staring at the dark ceiling and hoping to Rao they did the right thing. 

“and if they’re not?” Kara’s voice cracked unintentionally, and Lena sighed. She squeezed the hand that was still on her knee and stared at their feet as she looked for the words to say.

“then we will figure it out. Plain and simple” Lena said firmly. Kara stared at the blank wall ahead of her and nodded.

“plain and simple” she repeated right back. The last 24 hours had felt both extremely exciting and slightly nerve racking and She hadn’t known how much she needed the assurance till Lena gave it to her.

They still weren’t sure if telling Connor about Lex had been the best decision, as their son had unknowingly adopted Lena’s old habit of boxing things up inside that he didn’t like and hadn’t told them anything since then. They were crossing their fingers that they didn’t set themselves back in terms of his progress. It felt even more scary because they’re really hoping he would get to move in with them soon.

Lena had already taken everything out of their shared home office to become their son’s new room and was waiting for Connor to tell her how he wanted to decorate it before they went to work. It was mostly bare right now, a bed the only thing they agreed they would need before he came. The twins were asking everyday now when Connor was coming home, and they wanted to be able to give them a date. Hopefully Lex didn’t ruin their plans here either.

Kara looked at Lena, who seemed like she was about to say something when the door opened. Both of their heads whipped around so quickly Kara feared Lena might have pulled something.

Dr. Inoue greeted them both with a warm smile. She was an older woman, at least 10 years older than Kara and Lena. She had proved invaluable in helping Connor, her years of experience unmatched. Kelly was right to refer them to her.

“morning Kara, Lena. I just wanted to check in with the both of you, see where you are at in all of this or if you have any questions.” The woman waited quietly for them to speak, Kara silently consulting with her wife before speaking.

“was it a good idea? telling him about Lex?” Kara moved to the edge of her seat, as if that would help her get closer to the answer. Inoue nodded and explained.

“I think so, yes. I believe it best to help him learn to process it early rather than shielding him from it. We talked about it and he’s handling it much better than you’d think” Kara felt like the heavy feeling in her chest was gone now that she knew that. Lena took her turn now, clutching Kara’s hand desperately.

“and did he bring up Zorel’s party? What do you think?” the doctor’s smile grew as she answered.

“that was something I wanted to talk about as well.” Kara’s heart dropped

“I think that it’s a great idea. Connor is incredibly excited about it. That brings me to another point I wanted to speak with you about” Kara’s heart flew back up as she looked at her wife, but Lena’s eyes didn’t leave the doctors.

  
“in my professional opinion, I think that Connor is more than ready to go home with the two of you.” Kara wanted to hug the woman in front of her, Lena nearly did as she shot up and grabbed the doctor’s hands. Dr. Inoue looked shocked as Lena held onto her.

“really!?” her wife cried.

“yes. He’s progressed so well, in every sense of the word. The best way to help him grow further is through social interaction. Parties, family gatherings, etcetera.” Kara stood, putting an arm around Lena’s shoulders as the doctor finished.

“and honestly, if he’s ready to test into it, starting school this fall would also be a good idea” Kara was certain Lena was about to rocket up into the sky, her wife was just that excited. Her face grew into the biggest grin Kara had ever seen on her and she dropped the doctor’s hands, turning on the blonde. Her wife went and grabbed her, pulling her into a crushing hug that would have left a human winded.

“I thought that would make you both very happy” the doctor chuckled. Kara reached around Lena and shook the therapist’s hand. It was hard to keep her hand steady as Lena was moving them back and forth.

“we can’t thank you enough doctor. Really. We couldn’t have gotten to this point without you” Lena temporarily let go and turned to the therapist, nodding her agreement before bear hugging Kara once again.

“it’s a pleasure. Connor is such a kind boy. I’ll see you both next week for his session, which I assume will be at your home next time?” the therapist waved and walked off down the hallway, leaving Kara and Lena to their excitement. Lena was quickly rambling about all the things they would have to arrange for Connor now that he was coming home.

Kara was in such shock that she missed most of her wife’s word vomit.

“…and we have to take him to find the perfect color for his room! And once we do that, he can choose the furniture he wants inside and then- “Kara giggled, stopping Lena in her tracks. She grabbed the rambling CEO’s face and gave a quick peck to her lips. The rambling was halted, and Lena’s eyes were glued to Kara.

“we have to tell him the good news first don’t you think?” Kara said in an amused tone. Lena nodded and turned to the door. Lena was downright giddy, and Kara realized she hadn’t seen her like this in a long time.

Was it when the twins first learned to talk? Or when Zorel got onto the baseball team? Kara knew one thing for certain. The only things that made her wife this happy were their family.

“right! Then we can take him home!” she said as she pulled the door to Connor’s soon to be old room.

_Home. It really is now that he’s coming_ Kara though to herself as she stepped into the room, where Lena and Connor were already talking excitedly about gathering his things.


	13. Come Let Me Love You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor Moves in

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And another one! two in one day i know! this one was fun to do ill admit. let me know what you guys think about it, and if you have any ideas then hit me! love hearing what you think! hope you like what i did here! till next time, stay safe!

“you excited Connor?” Kara asked, looking at the rear-view mirror to get a view of her son. It was just the two of them in the car, the Tesla containing the last of his things from the DEO. Connor was squished in the back seat, his clothes all in suitcases and crammed into his right and as always, his notebook was to his left.

The teen looked unsure as he studied the passing scenery of their neighborhood.

“ _I think so._ _I'm just a little nervous is all.”_ Connor toyed with the edge of his notebook as he admitted this to her. She smiled back at him as she stopped at the red light around the corner from their house. 

“I would be surprised if you weren’t. but don’t be nervous. Its just family, and if you want Eliza and Lillian to go, I’ll ask them to go” Connor accepted this and turned back to the window, one arm going to rest atop one of his suitcases.

Eliza and her mother in law had been dying to meet Connor. They were almost as persistent as the twins, who even woke Lena and her up last night to ask when Connor was coming. They agreed to let them come over and meet their new grandson, but only if they agreed to leave if Connor asked. Not that she expected him to hate the two, quite the opposite, but they didn’t want him to feel uncomfortable. 

Finally, Kara pulled up to their house. She cut the engine and turned in her seat, waiting for Connor to do something. He was just looking at their house, like he was waiting for it to eat them. when it didn’t, he turned and made eye contact with Kara. 

“are they nice?” she figured he was asking about his grandmothers and nodded.

“very. You’ll like them, I promise” Kara patted his knee and got out, gesturing with her head for him to follow. He slowly grabbed the door handle and opened it, climbing out of the car and standing in their driveway.

He examined their surroundings, eyeing the other houses around them, then finally landed on their house with a kind of amazement. This stunned her more than anything so far. Their house was built like every other house in the neighborhood.

It was nothing extravagant, she had explained as much and showed him pictures before they came. Two car garage, front and back yards, two stories, typical things. A new tire swing on the tree in the front yard was the most exciting thing they’d done to the house before making Connor’s bedroom.

Maybe it was the knowledge of knowing this was home was what made him so excited. Kara could understand that. 

She went over to the path leading to their front door and waved at her son. He shook himself out of the daze he was in and lightly jogged to catch up. They walked up the steps together and looked up above the door.

There was a store-bought sign that read welcome home with confetti. Below it was individual pieces of paper, each with a letter that was crudely colored in, that spelled out ‘Connor!’. 

Kara chuckled and reached into her pocket for the house key. She looked to Connor one more time before opening the door. He was a mix of nervous and excited, his face smiling yet he was tapping his foot aggressively on the ground. She had to get him inside before he cracked the pavement. 

Kara turned the key, the door unlocking with a click. She took the knob in hand and twisted, pushing the door wide open. The lights were off inside, and it was deathly quiet in the house. 

She went in first but stood off to the side, waiting patiently for Connor to come in and see the surprise she knew was coming. With a smile she pointed to the living room and the teen followed.

Suddenly, the lights turned on and their family popped up from their hiding places. They all yelled “welcome home Connor!” at once, a grumbled welcome following the enthusiasm. 

The twins threw confetti in the air while Lena had her arms up with a smile on her face. Zorel was slouched by the light switch, his face blank as he held a sagging party horn between his teeth. Lillian and Eliza were sat on the couch, both waving at them happily.

Kara looked to Connor, who was smiling at all the excitement just for him. Lena walked over and pulled him to sit on the couch. When she let go, she looked to Eliza and Lillian. The two woman nodded and grabbed some boxes by their feet. The twins rushed over to sit with Connor, Lyle went next to him and Lori sat across his legs as their grandmothers prepped his surprise. Zorel still hung back, sitting across an armchair by the fireplace.

“this is my mom Lillian; you can call her grandma.” Lena pointed out, then turned to Eliza.

“and that’s Kara’s mom, Eliza, who you can call Nana” Connor followed along studiously, making his first note in his book since they came inside. Lillian went first, a modest sized box in hand, wrapped in plain blue wrapping paper.

She put the gift in front of her, beckoning for him to take it. Connor gently took the box from her hands and looked down at it. She nodded in encouragement and the boy took a corner of paper and pulled it gingerly. The paper ripped and he went on, taking his time as he ripped the paper off.

When he was done, it revealed a set of watercolor paints, a palette and brushes to go with it. He picked the brushes up out of the box they were in and held them in front of his face. he looked at the bristles and ran a finger through it, enthralled by what he was seeing.

“we heard you’re quite the artist. I hope you get to use these” Lillian smiled and tapped his knee as he looked at his gifts. He was too distracted too give anything more than a ‘uh huh’. Eliza scooted over next, holding out a slim present. Connor turned to her and set his other gift down, taking the present from her hands. 

This time he wasted no time and ripped the paper apart. The paper revealed two sketchbooks, both of equal size. He excitedly opened them and noticed they were different types of paper. He looked confused at Kara, who was sitting on the arm of the couch they were on.

“one for the paints grandma gave you and one for pencils you like to use” Connor looked enlightened as his eyes widened at her. He snapped down to the sketchbooks and the paint set, then back up to his grandmothers, who were waiting to get confirmation if they did a good job.

“thank you, Grandma, Nana” Kara looked surprised at the use of their nicknames rather than their real names like with her and Lena. Kara looked to her wife, there was no missing the hurt in her eyes, but she was still smiling at the interaction regardless. 

“why don’t we eat now? I don’t know about you guys but I'm starving!” Kara suggested. As if it was choreographed, all the Danvers children put their hands on their stomachs and nodded. Lena shook her head.

“lucky I'm a billionaire or you all would really starve. I already ordered pizza” she rolled her eyes and walked to the kitchen but all the while she was smiling. The kids happily walked behind her, Connor lingering for a moment before going with.

They all sat down and dug in; the table eerily silent as they gorged on pizza. When they were all hungry, it was basically guaranteed that there would be little time for talking. When they were finished and fully satisfied, Lillian took the opportunity to talk with Connor.

“I heard you might be starting school soon Connor. Are you excited?” Connor listened intently.

“yes. It seems like it could be fun. I'm just a little nervous” he answered in perfect English, which he was doing more now. He had told her and Lena yesterday he spoke English just fine now, he just liked speaking Kryptonese. That made her less worried about sending him to school. He already agreed to test into school, it was just a matter of scheduling it. 

“oh, that's okay. Kara felt the same way her first year of high school” Kara blushed at her mother’s words. Just thinking of her first day of high school makes her cringe inside. Getting lost, ending up in the boy’s bathroom, sitting in gum. It was a whole ordeal and she is glad to not have to do it again, but Connor didn’t have to know any of that till after his first day.

“everyone is nervous the first day of something. It goes away once you have the hang of it” Lena reach across their dining table and held Connor’s hand. His worry seemed to melt away, his shoulders loosening up at the reassurance. 

“will I go where Zorel goes to school?” he asked hopefully. There was a scoff from the other side of the kitchen and Kara was ready to scowl at their other teen when Lena jumped in.

“most likely. We’ll find out after you take that test” Lena was trying to put the subject to bed for now and Kara could tell. Her wife looked around and made eye contact with Zorel.

“why don’t you all help your brother set up his things in his room? It could be fun!” Lyle quickly grabbed Connor; the boy looked stunned as he was pulled with force he wasn’t expecting out of the kitchen. Lori grabbed Zorel’s hand, the boy trying hard to show the fact he would rather do literally anything else. His face read ‘what a drag’ from what Kara could tell. With the kids now off to Connor’s room, the adults were left to themselves to talk. 

Kara turned in her seat and looked to her mother and in law. Before she could ask anything, Eliza spoke first. 

“he’s such a kind boy. That really makes knowing what he went through even harder to imagine” Eliza shook her head and looked to Lillian, who nodded grimly. The last Luthor looked to Lena hopefully.

“please tell me you guys learned more about Alexander’s plan” she pleaded. Her face looked so desperate; Kara had a hard time believing it was still Lillian she was looking at.

“hardly. God, how I wish Lex had written everything down like he used to. We’re no closer to finding out who the assistant is and or where they’re hiding” Lena sighed, her knuckles turning white as her hand tightened into a fist.

“you know, I was looking through the old Cadmus files and comparing them with the LuthorCorp records. Both were big organizations, so I didn’t know everyone that was a part of it” Lillian looked guilty to her credit as she spoke of her old attempts at getting rid of all alien life on earth.

“I looked into a few names because of their connections with Alexander, Cadmus and LutherCorp. There was one in particular that jumped out” Kara and Lena both leaned forward in their seats. If Lillian really had a lead, this would push their investigation forward after it had been stalled for months.

“a man named Dabney Donovan. He was a researcher for both Cadmus and LuthorCorp in the years just after your father passed and was very buddy-buddy with Alexander” Lillian looked to Lena, who tensed up at the mention of her long-gone father and brother.

“He researched human genes, conducted countless genetic experiments. He was obsessed with creating a perfect being.” This sounded familiar to Kara. She recalled some of Lex’s notes, the idea of a perfect Kryptonian soldier. The thought of another person out there with the same idea sent a shiver down her spine and all the way out her toes.

“Alexander was very taken by his ideas. His recommendation was the sole reason he was hired to work at the company” the story was getting fishier by the minute and Kara didn’t like any of it.

“Donovan’s attempts only ever lead to deformed Chimeras. He claimed to be able to make clones as well, but he was fired before we ever saw that research at LuthorCorp. I made sure of it” Kara could see her wife chewing on her fingers beside her. This man could be who they were looking for.

“why was he fired?” she questioned.

“unethical experiments on… children. I may have been despicable but there was no way I could allow that” Lillian cringed, and Kara was sure her blood was boiling.

“they tried to arrest him but from what I know he disappeared years ago” 

“or he wanted us to think he did. He could’ve contacted Lex, offered to work together.” Lena sprung up from her chair and grabbed her phone, already on the phone when their conversation continued.

“but how? How could he go so long, undetected? And possibly get inside Arkham Asylum?” Kara was full of questions but sadly they had few answers.

“with the security at Arkham? He could’ve just waltzed right through the front door!” Lena was fuming. They now had a new person to direct their rage to, this Dabney Donovan character was in for it. If Supergirl didn’t get to him first, Lena was sure to rip him to shreds. 

“I’ll get to the DEO, see If Brainy can get started on finding this guy. Donovan will pay for this, soon.” Kara got up from the table and was ready to speed to the DEO but a hand on her wrist stopped her. Looking back, she saw Eliza holding her back.

“I know you both are ready to get to work but its Connor’s first day home. Let me and Lillian talk with Alex about what she knows.” Eliza stood up and patted Kara’s cheek.

“you just spend time with those wonderful children of yours” Eliza kissed her forehead and grabbed Lillian, the two heading for the stairs.

“we’re just gonna say goodbye to the kids” they waved and disappeared to the back of the house, leaving Lena and Kara to stew in the kitchen. Kara figured her wife was just as pissed, if not more so than her right now. 

She sighed and walked over to her wife. Lena was turned away, her phone still in her hand but the screen was dark. Her hands were shaking, and Kara felt she had to do something.

Kara gently gabbed the phone, Lena offering little resistance, and set it down on the counter again. She slipped her hands around Lena’s waist and dropped her head to her shoulder. The brunette was tense in her embrace, her arms shakily holding her up against the counter. 

Her body was still tense when she turned around, burying her head in Kara’s neck and wrapping her arms around her back. Her eyes were covered but Kara could feel a few tears slipping out and onto her neck. She put a hand up into her dark locks and put her head down to rest on hers.

“I'm so glad we found him” Lena confessed, her voice steadier than she was expecting.

“me too. Me too” Kara had thought her life was complete before but now having Connor, she knew what they were missing out on. they stayed wrapped up in each other for a few minutes, the sound of the front door closing interrupting their silence. Suddenly, Lena spoke up.

“sometimes, when he calls me Lena, I'm scared he doesn’t like me” Kara was surprised at the confession. Connor adored her! They had a bond that was far different from the one she had with him. The thought that he didn’t like her sounded impossible, had to be impossible.

“don’t say that. He loves you” Kara pulled Lena closer, their bodies practically melded together.

  
“he called Lillian grandma. They just met but he still calls me Lena” Kara could understand the pain. Her still didn’t call her Jeju. It took her years to even think of calling Eliza mom though, so maybe he had some feelings about it they didn’t know of.

“just give him time. I'm sure he has his reasons. Maybe he’s scared to call us his parents” Lena didn’t answer, just sniffled in her arms.

“just give it time. We’ll get there” Kara was afraid too, she wouldn’t lie. His recovery, school, his siblings, now this Donovan guy? A lot of things were happening that they didn’t have control over the outcome, and it scared her. There were only a few options for them; give it time and work together. 

“we can do this. We’re the Danvers.” Kara chuckled and was happy to hear Lena follow her lead. Her wife pulled away and wiped her face. 

“right. We’ve got this” Lena affirmed. She looked up to Kara and her smile grew. She went up and kissed her lips. It was quick, far too quick in her opinion, but it was enough. 

“now we should probably check on the kids. Who knows what they’ve done this whole time” Lena grabbed her hand and together they walked to the room Connor would now call his own. 

They were still afraid, but it was going away as the sounds of their children got louder. 

Kara was too distracted by the kids to see the lone camera flash outside their living room window, a figure across the street running off before anyone could catch them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...future angst??? oops? :)


	14. Let Me Lay Beside You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zorel's birthday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and we're back! i got distracted by so many things but finally sat down and wrote! now ive already got the next chapter about half done. its going to be fairly long so you guys lucked out. now i was thinking of instead of posting a chapter right when its done and then working on the next one i would just work on finishing all of them at once. so updates wouldnt be often for awhile. would you guys rather get them as i finish a chapter, or wait till im done and ill space out updates? im not trippin either way so let me know! anyway, i hope you like this chapter. its a little different so let me know what you think! till next time friends! stay safe!

The Danvers household was full of party goers by the time Connor got dressed. he could hear people laughing and talking as he sat on his bed, alone. There was soft music playing and he could recognize it as a song that played on the radio when he was in Lena’s car.

He wanted to join but couldn’t bring himself to. Connor felt like he was frozen, a giant ice sculpture unable to move lest they fall apart from the stress. He knew he should go downstairs and try to socialize like Dr. Inoue told him, but he was struggling to go out and just _do_ it.

Kara and Lena had told him about all the people who would be coming over for his brother’s birthday in order to lessen his nervousness. He had already met a few, like his aunts Alex and Nia, and Uncle Brainy and James. Then there was J’onn, who Lyle said was their grandpa. He figured that must be why he treated him much like Eliza and Lillian had so far.

The cousins on the other hand were a different story. He had made sure to memorize all the names, but he didn’t have faces to match them. That fact alone made him nervous. What if they got mad at him for mixing them up? what if they didn’t like him?

Connor shook the thought away. If they were anything like the rest of his newfound family, they wouldn’t treat him like that. Kara, Lena and the others were kind, even Zorel with his aloof attitude towards him.

His brother was another source of anxiety. He really wasn’t helping him build a relationship. the blonde teen was proving to be pricklier than Connor thought, and it was disheartening. He just wanted to be his friend and he was pushing him away at every turn.

Zorel hardly every came out of his room when Connor was there, and if he knocked on his door Zorel would simply tell him to go away. Every offer was turned down, every smile was ignored.

Connor heard Kara and Lena trying to talk with Zorel about it the other night but when it turned to defensive yelling on Zorel’s part he quickly tuned it out. It was starting to feel like he only brought trouble with him to his new home. The idea it was his fault was making him pull away, even if he knew he shouldn’t.

Connor looked over to his notebook, the pages nearly full. He would need another one soon. He fought over whether he should take it with him to the party or not. Would they think he was weird for writing everything like that? He knew it wasn’t a normal thing to do but the world was just so vast, and he knew nothing about it. It was comforting to fill in whatever gaps he could. It made him feel like less of a stranger to this world he’s lived his whole life in.

Was he thinking about everything too much? Stressing over things that didn’t need to be stressed over? The crippling anxiety was just too much to deal with to figure that out at the moment.

Before he could agonize any longer, there was a knock on the door. He told them to come in without a second thought and in walked Lena.

She was dressed comfortably, simple Jeans/t-shirt combo and a pair of converse. It was a look that he had seen her in many times by now, and it was a stark contrast to the fancy outfits he saw her in whenever he saw her go to work.

The woman was smiling at him as she made her way inside. Her warmth made him smile back unconsciously. She was so welcoming that Connor couldn’t help but let his guard down when she was around. When she sat down beside him on his bed, he felt like he could tell her everything and then some.

“everyone’s asking about you. They’re really excited to meet you” Lena nudged his shoulder with her own, him swaying slightly to avoid her feeling like she hit a brick wall.

They all wanted to meet him? the knowledge made him less scared then he was before. He hoped he wasn’t disappointing for them.

When he didn’t answer right away, he saw Lena’s brow furrow. She moved in closer and put her arm around his shoulder.

“what's wrong hun?” he shrugged, and she scooted closer, if it was even possible by this point.

“you’ve seemed off the last week. More withdrawn. Is something bothering you?” Connor looked to the brunette beside him. For a moment he was hit by how alike they looked. He knew he looked a lot like Kara, but it was in the little details that showed Lena was his birth mother.

The curve of their lips, the shape of their ears. The definitive proof that he had connections suddenly hit him in the face. it still surprised him all the time.

Lena was still waiting for him to answer, and Connor came out of his contemplating with a smile to match hers.

  
“I've just been scared that I don’t fit in here. That you guys taking me in was a mistake” he knew what he was saying didn’t match the look on his face. a smile doesn’t go with this kind of confession, but he was happy to let it out.

“oh Connor. You could never be a mistake. You were meant to be with us” Lena squeezed his shoulder and Connor sunk into her arms.

“and you fit in perfectly. We’re a family of Kryptonians, Martians, secret agents and superheroes. You really just complete the set” Connor couldn’t help but giggle at that. They were quite the group. Lena sighed before continuing.

“I know that Zorel hasn’t been the most welcoming recently, but he’ll come around. People are…complicated. Relationships take work” she put her head on top of his as she finished.

“you two will get there. We just have to work at it” Connor nodded at her words. He was already feeling the worry drift away. He knew Lena was honest, if she said they could do it, they could do it.

Lena’s arm slipped away, and she stood up, beaming down at him with her hands on her hips.

“now there’s a party to get to! You don’t want to miss it do you?” she went to the door and held it open, making all the party noises all the louder.

_I don’t think I want to miss it_ Connor realized. He glanced at his notebook, no longer conflicted if he should bring it. He grabbed it from its spot beside his bed and got up. he and Lena walked down the hall together, ending up in the living room where the majority of the party goers seemed to be.

Connor spotted Kara immediately. She had the twins and Zorel hanging from one arm and a group of 4 young adults hanging onto her other arm. Connor didn’t recognize them, and he didn’t have the time as when they spotted him, they all let go of Kara and ran over.

There were three girls and a boy and Connor couldn’t tell which was older. They crowded in front of him, nearly tripping over each other to say hello first.

One of the girls stepped up first, grabbing another by the arm. She was dressed in distressed clothing, her jeans with rips and the bottom half of her shirt missing. He would have to write that piece of clothing down. her nose was pierced and there were tattoos all along her arms. he had never seen someone like her before and already had many, _many_ questions.

She was much the opposite of the girl she had pulled with her. The other girl’s hair was up in a neat bun, a simple t shirt and jeans her outfit of choice. The two were like yin and yang, that much Connor could figure out on his own.

“I'm Hania, this is Callie” she pointed to the girl she dragged over with her. Callie nodded and simply said hello, but she was smiling all the same.

“we’re the oldest of Alex and Kelly’s children.” She smiled then turned to grab the last girl, who happily waved at him.

“I'm Riley, second youngest” she declared, chest puffed out. She was dressed very sporty, basketball shorts and a National City University jersey on. She honestly looked like she could throw him with ease, but her disposition told him she wouldn’t even want to do that.

“and I'm Xzavier. It’s really great to meet you” Xzavier seemed more reserved than the others, adjusting his glasses as he waved at him. He was wearing a shirt with what Connor learned from Kara was a Pokémon.

He eyed all the new people he just met and connected the dots with the names he learned the other day.

“so, you're all my cousins?” he clarified, making sure he wasn’t mistaken. They all nodded, Hania coming up to pull him into a side hug.

“yup! We’ve been dying to meet you so this is great!” Hania clapped his back and Connor was beaming at the immediate acceptance. He felt almost silly for being scared before.

* * *

Kara watched fondly from the kitchen threshold as Connor was swarmed by his many relatives. Even James walked over, Callie pulling on his arm to get closer to the new addition.

She also couldn’t help but notice Zorel sneak off to talk with J’onn. He had wanted nothing to do with Connor in the last few weeks he’s been at the house. Kara couldn’t stop the slight frustration creeping in. it had seemed for a moment that maybe Zorel was warming up but now they seemed miles away from that.

It was obvious Zorel’s cold attitude had made an impact on their oldest son. She and Lena had noticed him pulling away more and he was quieter than usual. Then Zorel won’t even talk to them about why he refuses to spend time with Connor. She could have all the guesses in the world but until he tells them, they can’t work to fix it.

Alex waved a hand in front of her face, a soda can in one hand and a smirk on her face.

“I saw the crinkle from across the room” Alex laughed, gesturing behind her to the group crowding her living room. Kara smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“sorry I was just thinking” Alex leaned against the opposite side of the door frame, eyes on Kara as she laughed.

“well that cant be good” Alex’s smirk grew when Kara threw a glare at her. Alex reached across and smacked her shoulder.

“I'm kidding. What’s got you thinking so hard on your son’s birthday?” Alex switched to concerned older sister with the drop of a hat. It seemed no matter how old they got, Alex was always ready to swoop in as the big sister and save the day.

“Connor and Zorel. I don’t know what to do about them” Kara shook her head as she saw Kelly show Connor something on her phone. Her son laughed and pulled on Lena’s sleeve to get her to look too. Alex followed her line of sight and hummed.

“I mean think of the two of us. I couldn’t stand you at first, now we’re sisters.” Alex took a sip from her soda.

“and mom and dad had nothing to do with that really. We became sisters on our terms” Kara hadn’t really thought of that. Their bond grew through their own choices to work together. She of course didn’t want her sons to become best friends by solving a best friends murder, but something more organic would go a long way for them.

“it might take awhile but hey, look at us. Can’t force anything, just go with the flow” Kara turned and watched her sister as she finished her soda.

“since when does Alex Danvers go with the flow?” she said with her eyebrow raised. If there was anyone in this world that loved structure it was Alex.

“I'm a mother of 4 adopted children who have hit adulthood. Trust me, going with the flow saves so many headaches” Alex got up from her spot and went inside the kitchen, hitting Kara with her coke can on the way. Kara huffed but was still smiling as she watched the party.

Everyone was smiling and enjoying Zorel’s birthday. Soon enough it was time for cake. They all crowded around the kitchen table, Zorel at the center of attention as he blew out his 16 candles. She wondered what he wished for but knew asking would not let it come true.

When the cake was cut, everyone split off once again. Lena was busy helping the twins eat their cake when Brainy tapped Kara’s shoulder. She turned with a smile, Brainy giving one right back.

“are you enjoying the party Brainy?” Kara asked as she dug into her own piece of cake. The 12th level intellect nodded, examining his cake before taking a bite.

“yes, though with all the children around, Nia is getting, what do they call it? Baby fever?” Kara laughed and Brainy looked bewildered. She patted his shoulder.

“do you not want her to?” Brainy thought for a moment before answering.

“I think I do. We will see” he answered simply as he watched the party.

“there's one other thing” he turned to her and set the cake down. He reached in his pocket and grabbed his phone.

“I ran the search for Dabney Donovan like you asked. The results just came in now” Kara clenched a fist as she took the phone offered to her. There were fuzzy pictures on the screen, an occasional paragraph as she scrolled down.

“he is an interesting man to say the least. Wanted in 80 countries, dozens of pseudonyms and disguises, hundreds of victims.” Kara did her best not to smash the phone in her hand. She was so angry this man even existed; she was almost tempted to break her no killing rule just for him.

“any recent sightings?” she asked, scrolling back through everything she just saw. Brainy sighed and shook his head.

“the last known sighting was 17 years ago, in Metropolis.” Brainy peaked over the phone, looking at what she was scrolling through. At the mention of Metropolis, Kara’s ears perked up. Hadn’t Lex been in prison there at the time?

“where in Metropolis was, he seen?” Kara handed the phone back to brainy who thought on the answer.

“at the port, so the east side” Kara snapped her fingers.

“isn’t that the one way you could get to Stryker’s island?” Brainy’s eyes widened as he opened his phone once again. Any little lead on his whereabouts could crack this case, and this could be just the thing.

“I’ll run through any security footage and records for Stryker’s island, see what we come up with” he put his phone away and looked at Kara. He smiled and put a hand on her shoulder.

“we will find him. I promise” Kara smiled and looked over to Connor. he was wiping icing off of Lori’s face, the little girl beaming up at him. Her eyes didn’t leave Connor when she spoke again.

“I know.” Kara made eye contact with Lena from across the room, her wife blowing her a kiss. When Kara turned back to talk to Brainy, he was gone and in his place was Zorel.

“hey birthday man, what’s on your mind?” Kara wrapped an arm around his shoulder and squeezed, Zorel’s smile never wavering.

“I was just wondering If I could open my presents now” Kara chuckled. Straight to the point he was.

“yeah sure, just go gather everyone and you can open them” Zorel pumped his fist and attempted to pull away. Kara wasn’t having it yet, instead pulling him closer and kissing his cheek. Zorel groaned and she let go.

“you’re never too old for me to love you!” she cried as he ran off. soon enough everyone was sitting in the living room around the birthday boy, who already was tearing into a gift.

After opening the various new goodies from his relatives, which included a new pair of cleats, new comic books, and many video games, Lena ran off to grab their gift for him.

When she came back, she beckoned for Kara to join her. The two walked to Zorel, small box in their hands. She could see Zorel’s eyes widen in excitement at his final present.

“it took a while to make but we hope you like it” Lena told him. He made grabby hands at the gift and Kara put the box in his hands. He immediately went to work, ripping the paper off easily. He eyed the box carefully, pulling the lid off after examining the plain outside surface

His mouth fell open when the lid came off. he looked back and forth between his parents, who encouraged him to take it out of the box. He sped over and hugged them both before disappearing with super speed to his room. Everyone was confused until he returned.

He was wearing a super suit not much different than Kara’s. it had the same design, with the house of El sigil on the chest and the iconic red cape. The main difference was the color scheme, red and white instead of red and blue, his favorite colors.

He was quickly crowded by his siblings and cousins, all marveling at his new getup.

“now that's only for using at the DEO! I don’t want you to take that as a go ahead to do super stuff!” Kara made sure to point out, though Zorel was hardly paying attention. He was just too happy to have a suit of his own to listen right now.

Kara realized someone was missing from the group. Turning around, she saw Connor sitting by himself on the couch, tapping his fingers along the cushions and watching his feet.

She walked over and grabbed his hand. He looked confused but stood up anyway.

“don’t be scared” she whispered as she pointed to the admiring crowd. He nodded and left without a word, going to stand beside Zorel. To her surprise, they spoke to each other. Zorel even turned to him smiling, pointing at his new bright red boots. Whether Zorel was conscious of what he did or not, it was something and she would take it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope i did well on this bad boy! Totally hypothetical Side note here. If the super kids were to say, go back in time, which period do you think they should go to? I was thinking either early season 5 Or when Kara died in my other fic American tune way long time ago. Let me know your thoughts!


	15. I Got A Funny Feelin When You Walked In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the firs day of high school

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and we're back and its a fairly long one too! two chapters within a week i know, im spoiling you guys. ive actually got the next chapter and am working on the one after that as well. im trying to get you guys some more chapters before school is in full swing again (two days left for me). im going to keep trying to work on this and every time i sit and think i end up adding more chapters. im thinking the number might be closer to 40 now. and thats just this story, i have more planned for these guys long after this so stick around. anyway, i hope you like it! let me know what you think and your ideas! till next time everyone!

“Connor, honey, calm down please. The car can’t handle you shaking your leg like that” Lena called out over her shoulder, eyes still trained on the road ahead of them. Connor nodded numbly, his leg coming to a stop and no longer shaking the car.

He was still holding it together though he was sure soon he would feel the anxiety gnaw at his mind. they had just dropped off the twins at their school and were now on the way to his new school alongside Zorel. He felt prepared yet at the same time not at all.

Zorel sighed in the front seat, his hand pressed against his cheek as he leaned his head against the window. Connor watched him closely, the younger sibling noticing and sneering at him.

He was trying not to let Zorel get to him, but it was getting increasingly hard to do that. He had seen his brother with everyone else. He was kind, thoughtful and funny. Yet, when it came to Connor, he was the complete opposite and it bothered him. He has no clue what he did that his brother hates him like this, and Zorel wont talk to him long enough so he could find out.

“oh, don’t sigh at me Zorel, you had plenty of free time this summer. Its time to get to work now” Lena made another turn and Connor could see the building now. He had studied Westhill high school before coming well enough. Spread out campus, with individual buildings instead of one. there were plenty of programs, though if he wanted to join any, he wasn’t sure.

It was all fenced off, with a gate at the front where people were pouring in. The school seemed much more daunting then the pictures, the buildings feeling like they were towering over him as Lena pulled up in front. She put the car in park and shifted in her seat.

“Okay you guys, last stop. I hope you have a great first day!” she grabbed Zorel’s face before he could make a break for the door and left a bright red lipstick mark on his face.

“ah mom, your lipstick is impossible to get off” Zorel cried as he rubbed his cheek, looking at his hand after every swipe to see if he was successful in removing it.

“I'm sorry I just got carried away” Lena laughed. She turned to Connor, her hand reaching out. She gently pulled his head and kissed his forehead, Connor smiling at her affection.

Her and Kara both had a way of making him feel better. Kara was through fun talks, food, and activities. Lena was an actions and thoughtful words type of person. A hand on your shoulder, a pat on the back, or an I love you said just when you thought you were alone. This was one of those moments and Connor felt some of his anxiety drift away.

“you’ll be just fine honey. Everyone is nervous the first day so you’re not alone” she reassured, running a hand though his hair as she spoke. She got out a napkin and whipped his face, turning to Zorel to do the same thing. He smiled at her and grabbed the car door handle, ready to jump out and tackle his first day of 10th grade.

Zorel hopped out first, throwing a wave to Lena as he stood on the sidewalk. Connor followed and mimicked his action. Lena pulled away, but not before rolling her window down and yelling I love you as loud as she could.

As he watched her pull away, a small part of his brain yelled at him to run after her and beg to go home. Sadly, that wasn’t an option, so when Zorel turned to walk to the front building he followed.

“you have that map mom gave you?” his brother asked coldly. Connor pulled his bag to his chest and shuffled around inside, pulling out his new notebook. His old one was full, so he switched, though this time Kara suggested he get a sketchbook instead. That way he could draw without lines in the way and write too.

He flipped to the back cardboard where it was taped and showed it to his brother, who barely spared it a glance before looking away.

“okay. Then you know where the lawn is?” he asked while looking over his shoulder.

“yes. Or well, I think so” he examined the map and looked around to gain his bearings. Luckily for him, each building was clearly numbered on the outside, leaving less room for error on his part.

“that's where you’ll go to get your schedule. Once you have it, just follow your map and the numbered buildings and you’ll be fine” Zorel’s voice was flat as he spoke to him, like helping Connor was the most useless way he thought he could use his time.

“got it.” He answered, still clutching the map in front of him. The two continued walking through to the main lawn, passing students who were surprisingly lively for being at school at 7 in the morning.

They walked slowly together through the campus for a few minutes, Connor taking in all the sights as they went. When his head was turned though, he was stopped dead in his tracks by Zorel’s back. He stumbled and almost fell to the ground but regained his footing.

Zorel was looking at him, his eyes hard and his face turned into a frown.

“do you have to walk with me? And so close? I mean really. You don’t need a babysitter. You’re older anyway. Just go on your own” Zorel shrugged him off and walked away, not casting a single look behind him as he walked off.

Connor was just too hurt to follow him. He could feel his eyes stinging with tears but knew he didn’t want to cry in his first day of public school, so he pushed it aside and walked in the direction of the lawn. He distracted himself by looking around, his new classmates capturing his attention.

He had seen a few old teen movies at Kara’s insistence, so he knew some of the groups they passed. Like the group of boys with numbered jerseys hanging out beside a set of lockers. He imagined they were the jocks, though he hoped they weren’t mean like they were in the movies.

He continued walking and he spotted a group of kids at the end of a hallway in one of the buildings. They were dancing on top of cardboard and playing loud music. He searched his mind for the name of the dance.

_The macarena maybe? Or was that salsa? Oh well._ He shrugged it off and looked forward again.

The deeper he got into the campus, the more people he saw. One group kicking a soccer ball to each other, another with skateboards doing tricks off a set of stairs. Then there was a group of girls in all black and dark makeup hanging out beneath a tree. His eyes widened and he made a mental note to write that down in his sketchbook when he had the chance.

A football nearly hit him in the head as he rounded a corner. After an easy duck, he spotted a long line of people, all leading to a set of tables. Each line had a sign next to it, indicating the grade they were serving.

He stood behind the last person in the 10 line and waited patiently for his turn. After what seemed like forever, he was finally at the front.

“good morning! can I get your name?” a girl with a shirt that said “Leadership’ in the center, right above a picture of a guy wearing a roman helmet. She looked to be a little older than him, her school ID around her neck giving away her rank as a member of the Senior class.

“oh, um yeah. I'm uh Connor Danvers” he fumbled through his sentence, hoping that that was all he had to say to her in order to save himself from more embarrassment. Luckily the girl didn’t mention it, just smiling wider at him and looking down at a box full of papers, with little tabs identifying what letter was inside.

She pulled out a little slip of paper and double checked his name before handing it to him.

“there you go Connor! have a great first day! Go Titans!” she cheerfully added as he walked away with an awkward wave. Once he was safely away, he finally looked at his schedule. He still had a good amount of time before the first class started, so he went to work looking for where each room was.

There's 7 classes, all sounding relatively interesting. Math was the one closest, and he quickly went to work finding the room with his trusty map. If only he could use his powers, he would be done within minutes. The human way would have to do for now.

He quickly checked off his first, second, and third classes off the list. Then he was able to find his fifth, sixth, and seventh easy too. All that was left was fourth period.

It was in a building near the back of the fenced off campus and he hadn’t felt like walking that far until he had to. The spot where it usually read who the teacher was was just blank, a placeholder ‘staff’ in its spot. The room was dark so no one must be inside yet. He shrugged and walked back to the direction of his first period, with just enough time to be the first in class too.

The day went by quickly, thank Rao. Before he knew it, it was the end of his third period and the day had gone off without much of a problem so far. The only thing that was somewhat tough were the passing periods. They were short, and with so many classmates clogging the halls, getting around was not a breeze.

And it was loud then too. His super hearing could be a gift but, in those moments, it was a curse. How could he keep his sanity when so many people were yelling and talking, when some kids walked around with loud speakers and the occasional locker slam filled his brain.

He would have to learn to tune this out too. He could tune out most excess noise, but it was still tough when he was this close to it.

Such was the case as he walked to his last class before lunch. He was tempted to superspeed to it and avoid all the other people but knew it would only mean trouble, so he continued to maneuver through the hallways.

After a lot of bobbing and weaving, he made it to the door of his fourth period. It was chemistry, a subject he knew well. This time the door was wide open, and he walked in. there was only a few other people already inside and most all looked ready to either fall asleep, run away, or melt into the floor.

The seats were arranged in rows, and most of the people inside had chosen the seats at the back. He tried his best to avoid all their eyes as he sat in a seat near the middle. He set his bag down beside his chair and took out his supplies. More people trickled in as he got ready.

He kept his eyes to his desk, scared to make eye contact. He was getting more anxious in this class than his others and it made his stomach turn. His eyes stayed glued to the desk until a tap on his arm brought him out.

A girl had sat beside him, her bag on the desk and wide open. she had bright red hair and her face was splashed in freckles. She had on a nose piercing, and Connor couldn’t help but notice the excessive tears and paint stains on her pants and the sleeves of her shirt.

She had a crooked smile on her face as she looked to him. Her greyish blue eyes were staring right at him and Connor was frozen in his seat. He had this funny feeling in his stomach, like it was doing back flips.

_She’s talking to me? And sat there? How do I cope with that!?_ His mind raced and he was oblivious to the fact he had mentally checked out of the social interaction he found himself in until a hand waved in front of his eyes.

“yoo-hoo! Sorry if I scared you” the girl turned to him, her foot coming to rest on the seat as she spoke.

“I was just wondering if you had a pencil? I only have pens and I thought it would be better to use a pencil here” she leaned onto the edge of her desk, her fist resting under her chin. Connor’s brain soon caught up with what she was asking, and he nodded, blindly reaching into the pocket of his bag full of pencils and randomly grabbed one.

He held it out to her, his face progressively turning red as he waited for her to take it. She smiled at him and took the pencil, spinning between her fingers with finesse. She winked, looked down at the pencil, then back at Connor.

“thanks. I'm Meadow, but everyone calls me Mae” Connor felt his face get hot, but he smiled despite the nervousness.

“I'm Connor, but everyone calls me um… Connor” he realized his mistake in the way he worded it but before he could do anything about it, Mae giggled and slouched back in her chair.

“well its nice to meet you Connor. I’ve never seen you here before. You new?” she pointed at him with the eraser end of the pencil and his hand shot to the hearing aid in his ear. He traced it with the tips of his fingers as they talked.

“yeah I am. My brother came here before I did, and I decided to transfer and come too” Mae looked intrigued. She grabbed the edges of the desk and scooted it over, the edges touching. She put her head on her hand and leaned in close, Connor’s eyes going wide at the lack of personal space.

“who’s your brother? Maybe I know him!” she grinned at him, ignoring the odd excuse as to why he didn’t go here in the first place.

“Zorel Danvers.” At the mention of his brother, Connor deflated somewhat. He was still hurt from their confrontation this morning and Mae seemed to have sensed the tension there as she shrugged.

“never heard of him. What grade is he?” she smirked. He doubted it was true only due to the sheer number of clubs and extracurriculars he knew his brother was in. he was new here but surely people noticed someone that _involved_.

“11th.” Connor supplied quickly. Mae nodded in understanding.

“so, you’re the younger brother huh?” she seemed like she just genuinely wanted to know more about him, and Connor couldn’t help but share.

“no actually. I'm older” Mae’s head tilted to the side, an eyebrow rising in confusion and Connor scrambled for another reason as to why that was. He didn’t like lying but how do you explain you are a clone made by Lex Luthor?

“I got held back is all.” he laughed though this too sounded as nervous as he was feeling. Mae just rolled with it and Connor was thankful to her for not picking at his awkwardness.

“It happens to the best of us” she patted his arm and Connor looked at her hand with wide eyes. Why was this girl so invested? And why did he want her to stay?

“yeah” he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck this time. She smiled and only moved the desk over a little when the teacher walked in.

They were an older man, his hair gray and wiry. His beard was unkept and wild, his mustache complimenting it with, the ends curled up so high Connor wondered if it touched his eye.

He sported thick frame glasses and a cane, though he couldn’t help but notice that he had no limp and didn’t put any pressure on it at all. the teacher stood at the front of the room and scanned the students with a frown. That was, until he saw Connor. when their eyes met, the teacher’s face grew into a face splitting smile.

He felt uncomfortable beneath the man’s intense gaze. His eyes were on him for longer than Connor ever wished they would be. When the man finally turned away, he grabbed a marker and wrote on the dry erase board.

The writing was messy and practically illegible, and Connor hoped the man would just say his name out loud instead. The teacher clasped his hands in front of his body and smiled.

“my name is Dan Novo, but you can call me Mr. Novo. welcome to sophomore chemistry” Connor felt increasingly unnerved by their new teacher. His gut feeling told him something was off about him but maybe it was just the first day jitters again.

“what a weirdo” Mae whispered behind her hand, bumping his shoulder when she sat back in her seat.

The class progressed normally, a syllabus and the terrible ‘get to know me’ games. The teen couldn’t shake the odd glances the teacher shot at him all too often. He felt like he was under a microscope and it wasn’t a nice feeling.

He could feel a weight lift off his shoulders when the bell rung, finally signaling the start of lunch. He quickly made his way out of the room and didn’t spare another glance behind him. The further from Mr. Novo he got, the better.

He quickly walked to the cafeteria, scanning for a spot at any table. Kara had made his lunch for him this morning, he just didn’t know where else he should sit during lunch period.

He got excited when he spotted Zorel by himself at a table and made a line straight to him. He stopped in his tracks when his brother looked at him and did the shoo motion with his hand. Zorel smiled as a group passed by him, one of the boys bumping him out of the way. His brother began high fiving them as they sat around him.

So, sitting with Zorel was out. Everywhere Connor looked there was people sitting together, engrossed in group conversations that he knew they didn’t want him in. his whole body sagged as he spotted a small table at the back corner of the cafeteria.

The table was dirty and looked like it had seen much better years. The seat creaked under his weight as he sat down, and he sighed. Some first day of school he was having.

He glumly opened up his bag and pulled out the brown paper bag with a smiley face on it and his name. he smiled at it and opened the bag, spreading the contents out on the surface.

The first thing that caught his eye was a little post it note stuck to the outside of one of his sandwich containers. He pulled it off and recognized Kara’s handwriting.

_Have fun at school Connor!_ was written in all capital letters, another smiley face beside it to match the one on the bag. He wished he could say he was having fun, but he would be lying. Why did talking to people have to be so hard?

He decided just to take his notebook out and take everything down. He hadn’t written in it all day, afraid of people looking at him weird for it. He took a mental note of everything he wanted to write in it throughout the day, and he jotted it all down while he was there. He may have wandered a little, a few doodles of people in the cafeteria as he wrote and ate.

While Connor sadly ate his sandwich, another person slid in next to him. He was confused and shot his head to the new companion.

“thanks for saving me a seat, its real packed in here!” Mae slid her tray down next to him and dug in, not even providing an explanation as to why she was bothering hanging out with him.

“you’re welcome?” he answered unsure. They hadn’t made any plans to eat together, yet here she was. She just looked at him and winked. He felt like there was something he wasn’t getting but would roll with it for now.

“so what are you having? My Dad usually makes my sandwiches, but we were working on something last night and forgot” Mae took a bite of a sad looking Peanut butter and jelly sandwich from her tray. The minute she had it in her mouth, her face scrunched up in disgust, but she ate it all the same.

“tuna sandwiches, a cookie, some fruit and a little salad” he gestured at his lunch, may nodding in approval. Kara had wanted to give a whole pizza instead, but Lena insisted on healthy foods to fuel their metabolism. So, the reporter made his lunch, under the watchful eye of Lena.

“I’ve never really liked tuna. Let alone two of them” Connor watched Mae closely. He was confused when she talked to him in class, now down right shocked she was here with him during lunch.

“fast metabolism. They gave me money for the cafeteria, just in case” Connor laughed and fidgeted, his fingers landing on the hearing aid Lena gave him again. Mae watched his hand and he was scared she was judging him. She grinned though, showing all her teeth to him as she leaned in close, a chicken nugget in hand.

“so tell me about yourself Connor. I have to know everything about my new friend” Connor’s eyes widened. Friend??? She considered him a friend already? This was a new development he wasn’t expecting.

“oh um well, what do you want to know” he was sure he was sweating as they spoke, but if Mae noticed, she didn’t say anything.

“okay like, what’s your favorite color?” _easy stuff first, I can handle that!_ He assured himself.

“blue” he pointed to his shoes, his blue converse, which were still bright and new. Mae nodded and grabbed another chicken nugget.

“blue is cool. I'm more partial to yellow. Its such a loud color you know” she took a bite and Connor hummed in agreement. He would have to work more yellow into his wardrobe.

He shook his head. _Wear more yellow? Where did that come from?_

“okay your turn. Ask me something” Mae did a motion like ‘bring it on’ as he thought of something to ask.

“do you have any hobbies?” he asked nervously. She smiled and rummaged in her bag.

“anything having to do with art. sketches, paintings, sculpture, you name it” she handed him a sketchbook, the cover littered with stickers. He took it and opened it to a random page. He was amazed with everything he found inside.

“Wow Mae! That's so cool” he cried as he handed it back to her. He almost thought he saw her blush but thought maybe it was the trick of the light.

“thank you, I work really hard on them” she pushed a loose hair behind her ear, seemingly looking to compose herself. Mae shook her head, turning her attention back to Connor.

“and you?” she asked. He felt embarrassed to share after seeing her sketchbook.

“drawing. My grandparents just got me a set of watercolor paints not too long ago so I’ve been messing with those too.” He thought maybe a insult was coming his way, something along the lines of ‘I doubt you’re any good’ but nothing like that came.

“you’re gonna have to show me sometime.” Mae was beaming at him and he felt slightly more at ease around her. Suddenly, she gasped, and he flinched in his surprise.

“we could collaborate Connor!” she slapped his shoulder and Connor couldn’t stop the fact he was made of steel. Her hand reeled back, and she held it to her chest.

“someone works out I see” she laughed as she shook her stinging hand. Luckily, Connor didn’t just cause his one friendship to implode.

“yeah yup that's exactly it” he attempted to laugh to hide the fact he was a terrible liar, but Mae didn’t look like she was buying it. She just left the topic alone, instead she grabbed her bag from the floor and put it on one shoulder. He was scared he said something he shouldn’t have but was proved wrong when she pointed to one of the windows behind them.

“I don’t usually hang out in the cafeteria. I have this really cool spot outside. Want to come with me?” she stood and put her hands down on the table. It couldn’t hurt right?

“sure” his voice cracked, and he wanted to kick himself. He grabbed his things and followed Mae, who walked briskly ahead of him. They went to the edge of the main campus, looking to the baseball field, it too was surrounded by a tall fence.

“don’t worry, I got this” she told him with a playful slap to the shoulder. She walked around the edge of the fence till she came up on a piece disconnected from the supporting pole. She pulled it and slipped in, now standing in a section of the baseball field no one could see from the other side of the fence. She sat down and beckoned for him to join.

Connor followed and dropped down next to her. She spread out on the grass, her legs out in front of her and using her arms for support. She was quiet for an extended amount of time, something she hadn’t done since he had met her. She broke their silence first, giving him an apologetic look.

“I'm sorry about your brother” he was confused. How could she be sorry if she didn’t know Zorel? She seemingly sensed he was lost, so she explained.

“I lied. I do know who Zorel is. he was in my PE class last year.” Connor waited for further elaboration. So she did know him. This wasn’t a relationship running secret of course but surprising.

“I thought he was nice but when I got to school this morning, I heard him yell at you” she was pulling up grass, avoiding eye contact with him this time. He felt embarrassed. Someone heard him get pulled apart by his younger brother. It felt almost violating but he could feel Mae wasn’t going to take advantage of him or anything.

“I didn’t mean to of course but I couldn’t help but hear him.” Connor looked down at his hands, but his attention was brought back when Mae pulled on his hand.

“it wasn’t nice of him. I wanted to talk to you after it happened but I lost you in the crowd.” Connor felt his heart get lighter. Mae would comfort some stranger she never met before because someone was mean?

“I was excited when I saw you in my science class so sorry if I scared you before.” Mae pulled up a dandelion and examined it as she continued explaining.

“I didn’t know you were brothers until you said it, but you two do look alike now I think about it” Connor nodded and looked out over the field they were sitting in. He could see bees flying around the surface, and with his super hearing he could hear the soft buzzing move all around the field. Then there was the birds signing, something he couldn’t hear as well on the main campus. It was really nice. And it was far away from all the loud school noise, making it much easier to tune all the excess noise out.

“why does he not like you so much if you don’t mind me asking” Connor tensed up. The story was so convoluted, if he told the truth he doubted she would believe him.

“it’s complicated and I can’t really talk about it too much but I kind of came into his life when he didn’t want me to” Mae seemed to be searching his face for something more, but she didn’t dig any further on it. She looked out over the field.

“its too bad. He’s really missing out.” Connor’s head shot over to look at her. She was still looking at the field, not notcing the impact she just had with the single sentence.

“Maybe” he whispered. It apparently wasn’t quiet enough though as another light slap came his way.

“I mean I already like you and it hasn’t even been a day” Connor thought he had to be blushing now. He was slowly but surely feeling glad Mae was so insistent. If she wasn’t, he wouldn’t be feeling like his day actually had potential. He was determined now to try like her. He wouldn’t let this fall apart.

They went back to eating their lunches, Connor sharing one of his sandwiches with her. They continued asking questions to each other and learned a good bit. Like that Mae loves anime, and her favorite animal is the dolphin because they make that funny noise that sounds like a weird laugh.

He didn’t like how some things about his past had to be kept secret. He knew it was important, but he wished he could be as honest with her as she was with him. even if that was a bother, he could still be as genuine as he possibly could.

Far too soon the bell rang, and they walked back to the main campus. He was sad their fun had to end already, but it made him excited for the next time.

“so what do you have next?” Mae asked, her hands in her pockets as they walked.

“Spanish with Ms. Navarro. You?” Connor saw her face light up and she pulled out her schedule.

“so do I! what about for sixth and seventh?” they compared schedules and sure enough they had the exact same classes the rest of the day. Connor thanked his lucky stars that he would get to hang out with Mae even more now.

They went together and the rest of the day was largely uneventful. A few homework assignments given out, seating charts made, and soon enough Connor was feeling like today wasn’t nearly as bad as he had feared it would be. The dark spot was still his altercation with Zorel, but it was easily blocked out of his mind with Mae.

She had a way of making everything better. she was optimistic, more so than he was, and she was funny, cheering you up when things weren’t going so great. It had only been a day that was true but already Connor could see her for who she was; a great friend.

The bell rang signaling the end of the first day of school. Connor was feeling much more chipper than he had when the day had started, especially now that he knew he had someone to spend the next day with. 

They both stopped in front of the school, Connor easily spotting Kara down the street. She was waving at him, but he wanted to take his time.

“do you have a phone? So we could text of course” Mae pulled her phone out of her pocket but noticeably deflated when Connor shook his head. It wasn’t that he wasn’t allowed to have one, it was just that he hadn’t really wanted one yet. Lena had asked of course but he didn’t see the need for one till right now.

“I’ll ask about it when I get home. For now, I can give you our house phone” she immediately perked back up when he reached for her phone. She readily gave it and he put in the number he had memorized. He handed it back to her and took a step in the direction of the waiting car.

“see you tomorrow?” he yelled as he walked backwards. She nodded.

“duh!” she gave simply. He watched her walk off and get into an older Volkswagen van. He stayed there until it pulled away and disappeared down the street. He was excited to come back to school, something he wasn’t expecting to want.

He got into the front seat, Zorel slouched in the back with his arm crossed. He grumbled something about “took you long enough” but Zorel wouldn’t bring his mood down right now.

Kara was smiling ear to ear at him and Connor felt like mirroring the look. She pulled away from the curb and drove down the street.

“so, good day?” she asked, her voice excited. He guessed his demeanor told her she could expect good news.

“yeah. It was good.” He answered with equal excitement. He knew he was forgetting about all the things he was going to have to deal with tomorrow that scared him or that he dreaded but he was actually feeling confident. He turned to Kara and leaned on the arm rest of his seat.

“so when can I get a cellphone?”


	16. (The Gym) Will Echo With Laughter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor goes to a pep rally

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we’re back! Got a fun little guy for you here. I’ve actually got the next 3 or 4 already written. I just took a lot of video game detours and class work. I also started a new fic and might post the first chapter soon. It’s an archeologist au so hit me up with ideas if you want. Let’s see if I can get on track more with this! Hopefully I will be back soon! Till then, enjoy!

Connor sat at the back of the bleachers in the gym beside Mae. They watched as a group of kids from the k-pop club danced in the middle of the court. It was well choregraphed, and he was astounded they made it all on their own until Mae told him about the dances for every k-pop song. He made a note to look up K-pop when he got home.

They were now stuck in a mandatory pep rally during their seventh period. Connor had never been to something like that, but Mae insisted it was nothing to write home about.

_“I like them for the excuse to not be in class. That's about it” she shrugged as they showed their IDs while walking in behind their English teacher._ _The boy at the entrance checked their name off a list and waved them in, Mae leading them to the back row of the bleachers._

_“This is prime real estate Connor. Trust me” she said as they sat down and waited for everything to start._

He was pretty impressed so far. They had watched the leadership class run in with signs with various peppy slogans on it like ‘we can do it!’ and ‘titans for the win!’. They then cheered and ran around before introducing the first club.

Each club did whatever their thing was and walked off. the JROTC program came and did a short routine that involved a lot of yelling. Then the girl’s volleyball team went up and a girl hit a ball from one end of the court to another. That Impressed him but didn’t get much more than a yawn from Mae.

“I'm not much of a sports person.” She shrugged and leaned back on the wall. He nodded in agreement. He hadn’t really played any sports so he wasn’t sure if he would like them much either.

Once the K-pop club was finished with their routine, the baseball team came up. He sat up straight and watched his brother lead the pack. It looked like the JV team was making a tunnel and their Varsity team was going in through it. Zorel ran through and stood at the end, whooping and clapping as his teammates went through.

Connor strained to look over the head of a tall student in front of him, trying to watch his brother. They still weren’t close at all, especially after Monday. He had tried to pretend it didn’t happen. He knew he shouldn’t and should probably tell Kara and Lena but he was scared. What if it just made everything worse? For now, what happened would just be his burden.

Even if their relationship wasn’t any good, he wanted to cheer all the same. He clapped his hands together hard, creating a resounding clapping sound that scared all the other students sitting with him and caused some further away to look in his direction. Including Zorel.

His brother whipped his head around, looking back at him over his shoulder. They made eye contact but before long Zorel shook his head and looked back at the final team members making their way to him.

A lot of eyes were still on him, but he just awkwardly waved and leaned back in his seat. Mae was giggling beside him.

  
“talk about strong hands. That sounded like a gunshot or something!” she playfully shoved his shoulder and Connor moved with her. So he got a little too excited and clapped a bit too hard, sue him.

The rest of the pep rally passed by quickly. A teachers vs students game of basketball (the teachers winning by a mile), a relay race between the grades, and some rousing speeches by the leaders of the associated student body. Once the student body president gave her speech, the pep rally was over, and people began filing out.

The minute it was over, the gym erupted into noise. Whether it was laughing, yelling, or music, everyone was back to their regular volumes and it was almost deafening. Connor did his best to tune it out and shuffled behind the other students, Mae holding onto his backpack so to not lose each other.

“that wasn’t so bad” he yelled over the loud chattering of his classmates. Mae nodded.

“yeah it was only like a 5 on the can-this-be-over-scale” he rolled his eyes and Mae laughed.

“if you couldn’t tell I'm not really one for clubs. I'm a free spirit Connor” she yelled behind him, her arm up and finger pointed to the ceiling. They were inching closer to the exit finally.

“I gathered that much pretty quickly, seeing as I'm your one friend” Connor knew this wasn’t a low blow. She had already told him she wasn’t much of a go make friends type. She was a wallflower and wore that badge with pride.

“and for good reason! You’re the only sane one around here!” she called out as they spilled into the outdoor basketball courts on the outside of the gym. Students were splitting up, some going to the parking lot and street and some just standing around talking.

“or maybe we’re just the insane ones” Connor joked. Mae gasped in an exaggerated way, her hand going to her chest.

“well I never! I'm perfectly sane” she gestured to herself. She was wearing another pair of overly ripped jeans with hand painted flowers and insects on them. she had on a crop top with a Anime character on it, the sleeves messily cut off and the edges fraying.

“whatever you say Mae” he told her straight faced. They both just looked at each other for a minute. He couldn’t keep it in and started laughing. He got a questioning look from Mae, but she couldn’t help herself and started laughing too.

They were interrupted by a cough to Connor’s right. Looking over, he was met with a long beard. He had to look up to see who it was. Mr. Novo was standing far too close and looking down at him. he had a smile that looked like it was too wide for his face, his skin twitching as he did it.

Connor took a step back and waved.

“hey Mr. Novo. Enjoy the pep rally?” his tone gave away the fact this was going to be a very awkward conversation. Mr. Novo grumbled and stroked his beard.

“well enough. The both of you are going to do my homework this weekend right?” he asked accusingly, his scratchy voice crashing on his ears. They just got the work today and they had all weekend to do it. why was he so insistent?

“yup. Should be a breeze teach. Don’t worry” Mae answered, stepping in front of Connor. he watched from over her shoulder as the teacher frowned.

“so you say, little miss flower child. I suppose I will see you two Monday” the sentence made it sound like he was leaving, but Mr. Novo didn’t budge from his spot. He just continued to look down at them with his angry face. they both scurried away, Mae casting a worried glance behind them.

“why is he the way that he is? jeez” she asked, shaking her head as they walked to the front of the school. Connor wondered that too. The entire first week of school, it felt like Mr. Novo had an interest in him. he kept calling on him to answer questions, even if his hand was down. When he would go around to see if anyone needed help, he would stand at Connor’s desk regardless of If he needed it or not.

Above all, Connor couldn’t help but feel like he knew him from somewhere. It wasn’t so much as his face but the voice that reminded him of someone, but of who he wasn’t sure. Maybe he just imagined it, but his gut feeling was that he did know him, somehow.

“who knows. I just know I can’t wait till we don’t have him anymore” Connor’s hands slipped into his pockets as they walked to the front of the school.

Before they could get any further, someone pulled on Connor’s bag. He turned around and saw Zorel’s bored face. he had his backpack on one shoulder and a duffle bag on the other.

“tell Jeju I'm going to Jason’s house, would you?” Connor looked at him like a fish out of water and nodded. Zorel just rolled his eyes and walked away without another word. He just stood and watched him get into the car with a group of boys and they drove off.

“Jeju?” Mae asked.

“Kara or er..well one of our moms” Connor winced at the slip up. He knew it was weird for people to call their parents by their name, but he didn’t feel like he deserved to call her Jeju yet. Mae followed along but she seemed to have connected the dots.

“wait isn’t your last name Danvers?” Mae asked as she stopped in place. He turned to her and nodded. It looked like gears were turning as Mae’a eyes lit up with realization.

“So your mom is Kara Danvers? Like _THE_ Kara Danvers? The one that's won like, three pulitzers?” she had gotten the last award before he was saved from Lex. He found out not too long ago either while spending time with aunt Alex. It felt weird to talk about it with a person who didn’t know that.

“uh yeah. That's her” his hands went to rest behind his head, lightly chuckling. Mae’s jaw dropped.

“wait but that means that Lena Danvers is your mom! The most badass CEO of the biggest company in the world is your mom?!” she cried. Mae had stopped in her tracks and had her hands on her head like she was smack dab in the middle of a crisis.

“yeah. I go with her to L-Corp sometimes.” Connor just kinda shrugged. He looked up to Lena and Kara of course. He thought they were amazing, but for different reasons then everyone else did. What they did for work was awesome too don’t get him wrong, Lena as CEO and Kara as Supergirl and reporter, but that wasn’t what he saw all the time.

They were amazing for everything they did for him and who he sees at home. With Kara taking him to the park to play with dogs and Lena watching his new favorite show with him without question (and he highly doubted she _wanted_ to watch power rangers every Saturday morning), he got to see them for who they were, not just their titles.

“your family is so awesome. My parents are artists, so I'm not a future trillionaire like you” she was laughing but Connor could tell she felt embarrassed, so he rushed to fix it.

“I don’t look down on you for that. I'm sure your parents are just as cool as mine” she smiled at that and Connor knew he did a good job. They finally got to the front of the school and looked around at all the waiting cars.

He spotted Mae’s car first, this time there was a man and a woman inside. They were dressed in matching tie dye shirts and the woman was working on a flower crown in the front seat.

“oh, mom _and_ dad are here.” she noticed. So those were her parents, though Connor considered that he doubted there was anyone else whose parents they could be. They just matched with Mae too much to be anything but hers.

“what are you doing this weekend?” she turned to him and asked.

“I think we’re going to my Aunt Alex’s house tomorrow” Callie and James both graduated early from their colleges, so everyone was going over to celebrate. From what he learned the last time they were over, both were already applying to the DEO. According to Kara, they had it in the bag but they insisted on applying regularly like everyone else.

“oh…so I’ll see you Monday?” Mae seemed sad that he was busy the next few days. Admittedly, now he was sad, but he knew he did want to see his family too. Before he could stop himself, he was already offering another idea.

“but if you want we could hang out at my house on Sunday. Ill just ask my parents” he blurted out. He was sure Lena and Kara would be fine with it, but he still flinched at his suggestion.

“And Lena is taking me to get a phone tomorrow too!” He added in quick succession. the sadness Mae was sporting disappeared at the mention of a cellphone and hanging out on Sunday. Her eyes were shining at him and she pumped her fist.

“finally! You’ll regret it once I spam your phone nonstop. ill see you later, Text me with details for Sunday, trilionaire boy” she began to walk to the waiting van, which was now playing rock music. He scoffed at the nickname and put his hand up in a wave.

“I doubt it! see you Sunday!” he called as she opened the side door and got in. she waved before sliding it closed. Connor ran over to Kara’s car (at human speed of course) and pulled open the passenger door excitedly.

Kara was smiling at him and turned the volume down on the radio.

“someone looks happy. Were you hanging out with Mae again today?” he had told her and Lena all about his new friend. They were both just as excited, if not more than him, about it.

“yeah. I told her we’re going to get a phone this weekend” Kara nodded and looked around outside.

“I imagine you two will be texting nonstop. Good thing we’ve got unlimited texting.” Kara laughed and tapped on the steering wheel. Her head swirled around, eyes searching for Zorel.

“where is your brother? Usually he’s out by now” Kara questioned worriedly.

“oh he said to tell you he was going to Jason’s house” Kara looked surprised but just shook her head.

“I’ll call him later than I guess. He should’ve asked first but it’s okay” Kara sighed and started to drive back home.

“and he’ll miss out. Lena agreed to get pizza tonight” Connor bounced in his seat in excitement and Kara looked like she wanted to do the same, practically beaming at him as she tried to stay in her seat.

“more for us right” she put her hand up and Connor high fived her. The first week of high school was done and Connor thought that everything was going pretty darn well.

Lena walked around the kitchen table, gathering all the used plates and cups. Meanwhile, Kara was busy putting away what was left of the pizza. Lena had ordered a vegetarian combo, but it went entirely untouched, go figure. All their children had split off, leaving the parents to talk.

“Connor seemed much more talkative today, and very happy” Lena commented. She couldn’t help but notice the difference. It was like night and day since that first day of school. She thought it was funny, that the day most kids dread was what made Connor happier.

“I know right. He was like that in the car too. That friend of his had really left an impression and its only been a week. Who knows how he would be after a few months.” Kara answered happily. She was right. She really hoped this friend of his would stay around, she was so good for him.

“I'm glad he found someone to spend time with. I was so worried he wouldn’t make any friends. I'm so glad shes coming over this weekend” Lena had agonized over it. she was up all night the day before school started. She knew the twins and Zorel would be okay, they already had established ties. Connor was the new kid in school and Lena remembered how it was to be them.though her experience was with a private school full of the children of the 1% so they were a little snobbier.

She was so happy to know he had a friend, especially one that seemed so good to him. she was giddy knowing someone who was helping bring Connor out fo his shell was coming over. She wanted to make sure everything was perfect for them to spend time together. She was having to hold herself back from the extreme gestures, she was just that happy.

“me too, but hes doing just fine at school.” Kara told her as she transferred the pizza to a plate and covered it.

“now if only there could be a breakthrough with Zorel and him” Lena sighed. An improvement would be amazing right now. Their relationship was icy and it didn’t seem like it would change for a while.

“I know. It almost seems like they’re worse than when school started. but we have to let them come to terms with each other on their own.” Kara slipped the pizza into the fridge and walked to her.

Lena stopped cleaning and stood at the table. She agreed. They _had_ been worse since the first day. Something must have happened, something neither boy is telling them. it was killing her not to know.

Maybe Kara could hear the gears turning in her head, because she walked over and slipped her arms around her waist. The blondes head dropped to her shoulder and snuggled her face into her neck.

“its just hard for me. I don’t like not being able to fix something like that for them” she sighed, and Kara kissed her jaw.

“but they can handle this Lena. don’t worry” another kiss came to her jaw and she melted into it.

“ill try not to. But you cant deny, there is something they’re not telling us” Kara sighed when she said the last part.

Her kids were strong, she should have more faith that they could do this without her help this time. Or for the most part. She still wanted to help but she could leave them too it sometimes too.

“I think you’re right, but we cant agonize over what we don’t know, we just have to wait till they tell us” Kara kissed her jaw and her hands moved around her hips. Lena cast a cautious glance to the doorway, making sure none of their children slipped out and was scarred for life. Sometimes she missed the days where they could get handsy in the kitchen and no one stumbled upon them while getting a midnight snack.

“now I say we go to our room and do very quiet… _adult things”_ Kara snickered against her neck.

“Mrs. Danvers, that sounds like an amazing idea” before anything else could be said, Kara picked her up bridal style and zoomed off to their bedroom.

That should take her mind off her children’s problems for just a little bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if there’s any glaring mistakes. I didn’t feel like getting my laptop and just wanted to get this out there so I edited on my phone lol


	17. We'll Come Through (Eventually)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> lena and kara make a game plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im back with another little one for you! next chapter should be longer as this was just kinda a transition chapter. next one should come soon. its already written and just needs editing!let me know what you think of this bad boy and if you have any ideas for the future. i love hearing from you all! anyway, hope youre all well! till next time!

Lena watched Connor talk with Hania, the older girl pointing to one of her tattoos and Connor studiously writing down whatever she was saying. His gaze was intense while he was entirely focused on what she was talking about. The sight made her smile. Her little boy was opening more and more all the time, and he was far more outgoing than before. 

She was tempted to get this new friend Mae a gift, just to say thank you for being what my son needed. Would it be a little embarrassing for her to do that? Yeah, probably, but she was just so happy. His shell was falling away bit by bit and she loved to see it. 

There was only one time when she saw him pull away: the mention of Zorel in any way. He would freeze up at the name, or distance himself when he walked in. it was so odd since here in the house Zorel was civil. He would wave, albeit unenthusiastically, or say a brief hello. It made her wonder what in the hell would go on at school.

She shrugged it off for right now. They were both here, having a good time and everyone was happy. She could be happy about that too. Kelly walked by and Lena smiled, the woman deciding to make a detour and talk with her.

“hows everything with you guys Lena? I’ve been so busy it feels like we haven’t talked in ages” Kelly put a hand on her arm and Lena smiled. They had formed a close bond since both marrying into the Danvers family and she was thankful for that. Any person to add to their corner was a blessing.

“everythings going pretty well, for the most part. But you know everything with Zorel and Connor has me a little stressed” Kelly nodded knowingly. Lena had spilled her guts to her and Alex about their struggles with the two boys, so she knew well the situation. Not to mention Kara had been looking to her sister a lot for advice. 

“has Connor let Dr. Inoue in on what happened?” Lena shook her head. She quickly searched through every phone call and interaction with the doctor but nothing of note came up.

“as far as I know, no. she usually tells us major stuff like that” she watched ad the twins ran over to Connor, Lori holding out a folded piece of paper. Her new obsession was origami, and so far, she had only mastered a dog. So now they all had paper dogs everywhere. Her desk at work was practically full of them. 

Connor smiled and took it excitedly, flashing his sister a thumbs up. Lori wrapped her arms around his neck and ran off, Lyle giving him a brief hug before he too ran off. The sight was a familiar one by now and Lena was relieved that it was. She doesn’t know what she would’ve done had they not been receptive to him too.

“maybe see if you can’t try and prod him a little here and there. Nothing aggressive, just gentle questioning.” Her sister in law turned and watched Hania laughing with Connor, Xzavier soon coming over and joining in the conversation. 

“he has improved though, no doubt. Maybe try talking to him later, see if you can learn anything” Kelly smiled at her and pointed to the cake, where Zorel and James were staring hungrily at it. Callie was standing next to them, pointing to the picture of her and James in cap and gown printed on the top. Both Zorel and James seemed to be unknowingly ignoring her in favor of drooling over the cake.

“and what about Zorel? How has he been?” she nodded at the teen who was now practically drooling. She sighed.

“his usual self, unless Connor is around than he’s cold as ice. I just don’t get it” she shook he head. Her son was a sweetheart, always wanting to be the hero who saves everyone’s day. It’s how he’s always been, even back when it was just the two of them. Yet for some reason, he treats Connor like he’s nobody. Even if he did have a problem with him, that is not who her son is at his core. 

What could be so bad that he would go against everything he is, just to keep Connor away? 

“I don’t suppose you have any ideas?” she asked Kelly. Her sister in law put a hand to her chin in contemplation. 

“well, its obvious and you said before you see it too, but it all seems to stem from Connor. it could be his relationship to Lex, the attention Connor gets, really could be anything. But it’s obvious it has nothing to do with Connor’s personality. I highly doubt Connor is a devil behind all our backs” Lena nodded, wishing she had a notebook like Connor to write everything down in. 

“maybe it’s a fear of Lex. I mean he was the boogie man hanging over our shoulders until he died. Maybe he extended that to Connor too” Kelly offered, shrugging. It all sounded like a possibility. Not to mention his initial reaction to Connor being his brother. Maybe he still has a chip on his shoulder from what Connor did to Kara. She was so sure they had dealt with that particular issue, or more like he had let it go, but maybe there was still work to be done on that front.

“that could be it. we won’t know until he tells us” she was at a loss for now. The ideas from Kelly were of course a starting point. If her and Kara could ask the right questions, they could get some insight into whats going on with the two of them.

“now I think I should get over there before those two devour that cake” she tapped Lena’s shoulder and was off, leaving the mother to collect her thoughts.

Lena watched as Hania and Xzavier split off, leaving Connor to write quickly in his notebook. He smiled down at the page when he was done then closed it, looking up and making eye contact with her. His grin grew and he waved, Lena returning it. 

She hoped someday he would trust her enough to tell her rather than her being forced into digging by herself. For now, she would stay watchful and be there for both Zorel and Connor. she wished for a simple answer but knew in parenting, there never was one. 

she walked to Kara, who was already holding a fork and plate, waiting for her turn to get a slice of cake. Lena looped her arm through her wife’s and leaned against her, the blonde looking to her and kissing the top of her head.

“whats going on in that big brain of yours” her wife whispered. 

“what do you think?” Lena asked, assuming Kara already knew.

“how good that cake looks. I mean come on, look at the frosting to cake ratio!” she pointed with her fork, tongue poking out between her lips. Lena sighed.

“no, you dork. Connor and Zorel” Kara’s mouth went to an ‘o’ shape.

“and what were you thinking about them?” she asked quietly, hoping neither teen in question heard them. She went up on her toes and whispered into Kara’s ear.

“Kelly thinks that if we can ask the right questions with them, we can find out what happened between them” Kara nodded and watched the cake beginning to get handed out.

“it’s a good idea. how are we going to go about operation interrogate our kids?” she asked jokingly, leaning down to Lena’s height. 

“not interrogating. We won’t force them to say anything, just see if we can glean anything from what they do and don’t say rather than waiting for them to say something” Lena pulled her wife’s arm around her as they spoke.

“we’ll just get them alone with us. So maybe we both go pick up Zorel from practice or we go out with Connor while Zorel is at a friend’s house. That way they feel free to talk” Kara seemed to be liking the idea.

“there's that big genius brain at work” she kissed her forehead and her eyes went right back to the cake.

“all in a day’s work” Lena told her as she went up and kissed her cheek. Someone gagged behind her.

“Jeju, mommy, that's gross” Lyle groaned behind them. Lena just smiled. 

“they’ll understand one day” she whispered, now deciding it was time for a full-on kiss. When her and Kara’s lips met, there was another loud groan from behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so hypothetically, if one of the next stories in this series had time travel, when would you want them to go? and who? just curious


	18. Whether You're a Brother or a Mother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mae hangs out at the Danvers house and kara and lena get some answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and we're back! im so sorry. i started working on another story recently and if its not obvious im not an expert multitasker when it comes to writing. ive got a few more written that ill try to post soon. hopefully you guys enjoy this little cute chapter, it was fun to write. since we're coming up on winter break, i should be able to work on these a whole lot more. and again, dont worry, ive got a lot of fics left for this family long after this one is over. let me know what you think or if you have any ideas! till next time!

“Connor your friends here!” Lyle yelled down the hall at the top of his lungs. The teen burst out of his room, skidding around the corner and into the living room. He sprinted to the door and looked at himself in the reflection of the large picture frame next to the door. 

He quickly checked his teeth and was fixing his hair when there was another knock on the door, reminding him that he actually had to let her _in._ he composed himself and carefully pulled the door open. he already pulled one off its hinges and he didn’t want a repeat in front of someone who didn’t know the secret. So gently he pulled, using just a hint of strength.

Mae was standing on the porch, her hands clasped behind her back and her handmade bag hanging from her shoulder. She was looking around curiously on the porch till she realized he was in front of her. She waved at him and he stepped inside, taking a giant leap over the threshold. She looked around and nodded.

“this is _not_ what I was expecting.” She told him, going over to the fireplace and picking up a small picture of the twins playing in the yard. She smiled and set it back, Connor watching her with an amused expression.

“what were you expecting?” he questioned, following her as she looked at the different pictures in the living room. She shrugged and pursed her lips.

“a Mansion, maybe a whole skyscraper to yourself, I don’t know” Connor laughed, and Mae smiled down at a picture Lena just put up of in the backyard. It was after Kara had convinced Lena to buy a new slip and slide, them all promptly testing it out thoroughly.

Connor was sitting on the floor with Lena, the woman dressed in a modest swimsuit and Connor in a t-shirt and Zorel’s borrowed swim trunks that were a little too small. The twins were making funny faces with their backs against each other, meanwhile Kara was holding Zorel up in the air above her head, his arms out with two thumbs up.

He loves that picture. Lena even got him a copy, one he keeps taped to the inside of his notebook.

“sorry to disappoint” he was suddenly self conscious. What if she was underwhelmed by his house? Or his room? Or Rao, did he clean his room first? He was sweating bullets until Mae grabbed his hand in hers. This caused him to sweat even more but hopefully she couldn’t tell.

“I doubt I could be disappointed.” He wanted to cover his face or possibly scream into a pillow. She was not helping his cause right now, each word coming out of her mouth making his face turn increasingly red. Mainly because of the look on her face. he couldn’t tell exactly what it meant but it made him feel like tv static inside. He wanted to escape to a more palatable conversation, pointing to the hallway to the right of the living room.

“want to um go see my room?” his hand was shaking a little as he pointed and he snatched it back, hiding it behind him. she let his other hand go and looked into the hallway. She smirked.

“sounds good. And don’t worry if its not clean, just wait till you see mine” she shoved him lightly as the two walked, Connor trying desperately to keep from combusting on the spot in his own home.

She looked at the other doors they passed, admiring the twins’ decorations on the outside of the door. His younger siblings’ doors were an amalgamation of all their varying interests. Lori was the type to go through many, many interests. There were her origami taped to the door, some random pictures of dogs and cats that weren’t krypto or streaky, and a glittery bomb of a handmade picture sat at the middle. He only knew what was at the center of the picture, a bicycle, after she told him.

Lyle was much steadier. Anything science and math related; he goes crazy over. he had a hand drawn picture of Einstein next to the last cover of Time Magazine Lena was on. there were a bunch of different papers with different equations that he had solved as a badge of honor there too. Connor truly admired his younger brother’s consistency.

“my other siblings. The twins, Lyle and Lori.” She grinned and touched the name plate in cursive on the front of Lori’s door. Lyle had one too, but he kept taking it down to make space for more equations. Lena kept sneaking it back up when he wasn’t looking, but currently it was somewhere in his room.

“ah I get it. I think I heard one of them while I was outside” she pointed out, walking behind Connor as he stopped in front of his room.

“probably Lyle. He was the one who told me you were here” he told her as he turned the doorknob. He looked back at her, his friend nodding encouragingly with a smirk. He pushed the door open and walked in, Mae looking around in awe behind him.

He was proud of his decorations if he was honest. It was mainly of his own art, various portraits of random people and his family, though there were a few posters. Those were mostly of things he saw and liked. A picture of a bird from the park Lena developed for him, the screensaver of a random cliff from Kara’s work computer she printed for him, a few spectacular drawings from Lyle and some origami from Lori. It was all mismatched and random but Connor felt like it fit.

“did you do these?” Mae asked astounded, her mouth hanging open so wide he thought it would hit the floor. She was pointing to a picture of Lena. he had done it when he went with her to L-Corp after school a few days ago. She was dressed in a suit, her hair slicked back in a tight bun.

“hmm yeah I did” he was feeling shy. Aside from his family, no one had seen anything he’s drawn before. Mae gasped.

“shut up! That looks like a photo!” she touched it and examined it from her spot in his room, slipping her bag off as she looked. He took a step back and watched her stare in awe.

“but I didn’t say anything?” he was bewildered. Mae looked at him confused and seemed to realize something. Did he do something wrong?

“oh no not like that, I just meant like no way that's so awesome” she looked apologetic and went back to looking at the picture. Her hand was on her cheek as her eyes traced the drawing. Really, his abilities were the product of Lex’s experiments, but she couldn’t know that either.

“you’re so talented and you have to show me your ways” she whispered, touching the photo again with a shake of her head.

“I’ll share my knowledge as long as you share yours” he told her more confidently then he thought he was capable of. Showing her his art went far better than he had feared. He should know by now how she was. She hadn’t judged him not once for anything, why would this be any different? His mind really rushed to the worst at every possible turn.

“it’s a deal, prodigy boy” she put her hand out and the pair shook on it. That's when she finally got a full look at his room. A simple desk by the window with everything neatly packed away, some clothes were on the ground but thankfully be had the foresight to put his underwear away, and a beanbag chair beside his bed that Kara had gotten at a garage sale. It was a simple room and just the way he wanted it. he looked to Mae for her opinion and she was already dropping down into the beanbag chair with a sigh.

“I could get used to this” she stated and sank further into the chair. He hoped on the bed and sat up against the headboard, looking at her.

“it is a nice room” he told her smugly. She smirked and stood up, hitting his foot with her hand. She grabbed her bag and went back to the bean bag chair. She settled in before taking out some stuff from the bag. There was a sketchbook, some old worn out brushed and some heavily used tubes of paint.

“I was thinking we could work together on something.” She looked nervous but was steam rolling right through it, something he wished he could do. He raised an eyebrow as she held up the supplies for him to look at.

“what were you thinking?” he asked, shifting around in his bed so he was on his stomach and looking down at her. he took one of the paint brushed and examined it.

“there's a wall at my house my parents let me paint all the time, how ever I like.” She played with the brushes, straightening the tips as best she could.

“we could paint it together. A little me and you thing. If you want to of course. We don’t have to” she still wasn’t looking at him and he felt she was scared he would say no. as if he would. His (best?) friend asked him to do something together, something they both enjoyed doing, how could he refuse?

“well then we better start brainstorming” her smile grew tenfold and she shot up, going to set everything on his desk and sitting down. He looked over her shoulder, one hand on the desk and another on the chair as she pulled a small palette from her bag.

They quickly set about ideas, ranging from picaso-esque portraits, to landscapes and an abstract rendition of National City. They didn tget close to a definite decision but they were able to air out any ideas they could possibly use.

Before they knew it, Kara was calling for them to come to dinner. They shook out of their tunnel vision and walked to the dining room, where the rest of the family was already sitting and waiting for him and Mae. Lena greeted them, coming around the table with a tray of lasagna and a smile. Her hair was tied up into a quick bun, her grey hairs speckled around the swirl of the bun.

“here, you two sit down and dig in, I’ll be back with pasta” she told them as she set the tray down on the table. Connor looked to his friend, who looked completely star struck at Lena. He had to pull her to get her to remember to sit. When Lena finally sat down, Mae’s mouth just dropped more.

“you’re Lena Danvers. In the flesh” she whispered, Lena looking up at her name and smiling. She leaned forward in her chair with a knowing grin.

“and you’re Mae. Ive been so excited to meet our son’s new friend, we’ve heard so much about you” Mae looked incredulously at Connor who shrugged, but with a sly smile.

“only good things I swear” he assured her with a smirk, grabbing a forkful of pasta and dropping it on his plate. Mae’s gaze shot back to Lena, who looked like she was trying not to laugh. Her eyes then went to Kara, who was hastily shoving food in her mouth.

“and Kara Danvers! I mean, he told me you were his parents but its one thing to say it and a whole ‘nother thing to actually see you guys all around the dinner table” Mae shook her head, still in shock at the fact she was at their house, eating food Lena of all people made.

“not the worst reaction we’ve ever had to our names, that's for sure” Kara stated matter of factly, pasta sauce on the edge of her mouth. Lena looked over her and shook her head. She got a napkin, rubbing at the offending sauce. Kara smiled at her and blew a kiss. Connor thought this would make Mae’s head explode. Instead, she just let out a small squeal and filled her plate with a cheek numbing smile.

“hey don’t forget about us!” Lori cried from her spot at the end of the table. She had her old Hello Kitty fork sticking up dangerously in her hand, her other holding a piece of pasta. Lena had been trying to get her to use the fork more, but Lori had largely seemed to be using it for aesthetic purposes at this point. Connor had heard her defense, that eating with your hands is much easier, and he could feel that.

“I am so sorry! How rude of me. You must be Lori” she looked over to Lyle who was hiding a book in his lap and sneakily reading at the table. Connor could hear the sound of a page flipping and he was sure the rest of his superpowered family could hear it too.

“and you must be Lyle. Its nice to meet you both” she waved at them and Lori’s dangerous tone disappeared. It was replaced with a giggle and a wide smile, missing teeth and all.

“you seem nice. No wonder Connor likes you” Connor sucked in a breath. The way she said it made it sound very different then what she meant, and it made him want to sink into the chair and not crawl back out.

“I know he does. As if he could resist” she winked at him and Connor checked his pulse to make sure he wasn’t dead. That sounded far too not _friendly_ to be anything else and he wasn’t sure whether he wanted it to keep happening or stop lest he keel over. Lena looked knowingly at him and he covered his face. Kara slapped Lena’s hand, using her other to cover her mouth. He just dug into his food to attempt to escape the embarrassment.

“anyway, what did you guys think of the first week at school? Was it fun going to school together Connor? Zorel?” Connor froze, a piece of pasta hanging from his mouth. Lena looked between them with a smile, waiting for one of them to answer.

He saw Zorel look down at his plate and he actually looked…guilty was the only thing he could describe it as. Like he took too many cookies from the jar. He took off his glasses and rubbed his face, looking nowhere else but down at the plate. Maybe Zorel felt bad for what he did, and it made Connor feel hopeful.

Lena looked away from the other boy and at him, forcing Connor to debate his answer. He didn’t want to tell them what really happened, he was scared to. Not scared of their reaction but scared that doing so would only help make it worse. So he plastered on a smile, ignoring the shocked expression on Mae’s face when he answered happily.

“been great! Yup! Never better right Zorel?” he looked to his brother, who looked confused across from him. he looked like he wanted to say no, maybe even tell the truth, but his brother just nodded with a restrained smile. He finally gathered his senses and looked to Lena and Kara.

“yeah its cool” he shakily let out, obviously not really meaning it, but for a different reason then usual. There was just something off about it. He didn’t mean it cause he didn’t care; it seemed like he wanted it to be true. Then Zorel did the unbelievable; he gave him a little smile. Him specifically! Not like the one he’s seen him give other people but it was something.

Lena was watching them like a hawk and he could feel her stare but he didn’t dare look, or he would crack and tell everything. She looked to Kara, who nodded and went back to her food.

“I'm glad that its going well then” she looked unconvinced but didn’t continue on the topic and Connor was thankful. He could still feel Mae staring holes into his head but ignored it for now.

They finished dinner and both he and Mae attempted to help clean but Kara shooed them away and told them to go have fun, so they went back to work on their brainstorm in Connors room. The minute they were inside, Mae closed the door and turned on him, hands on her hips

“why didn’t you tell them?” she demanded. He sighed and sat in the desk chair. He spun around staring at the ceiling and sinking in his seat.

“I just didn’t want to make everything worse” he traced the small patterns on his ceiling from the desk lamp with his eyes and played with his hearing aid.

“but they could’ve helped” Mae’s voice was soft this time and he looked up at her. she wasn’t angry. Her face was pleading.

“but did you see Zorel’s face? he looked guilty! Maybe we’re on the right track now!” he reasoned. He had faith that the real Zorel would come out, not this mean version that he saw everyday at school. Mae just sighed and sat on the floor in front of him, her legs crossed.

“okay we’ll play it your way. But if it gets really bad you have to tell them” she pointed accusingly at him, Connor gulping as he nodded. She was a bright and sunny looking person, but she could fill you with fear if she wanted to (yet she rarely did want to).

“good. Now, let’s get back to work” she clapped her hands and stood up, taking the sketches off the desk and sitting on his bed. He watched her work on the unfinished sketch a little more, her face scrunched up in deep concentration.

_She can be kinda cute_ if he was on one of those tv shows Aunt Nia liked to watch, he was sure there would have been a record scratch just now. Connor was shocked that that came from his brain. Since when was Mae cute? He shook it away. No way could he act on anything his mind was thinking up. He was not going to ruin his one friendship, even if said friend was very pretty and smelled like flowers 90% of the time and paint the other 10.

Just then Mae looked up and he felt like he was caught red handed even though she couldn’t read minds. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow and a finger pointing at the paper she was working on.

“are you gonna help or what?” Connor scooted the chair over to his bed, looking over the sketch. She handed the book to him and their hands brushed, and everything was upside down.

_Get it together Connor_ he demanded of himself, hoping boxing the feeling up and sending it packing would make him feel better. probably not, but worth a shot

Meanwhile, Kara sat in the living room, editing another article to get ahead for tomorrow when she looked off into the direction of Connor’s room. The two teens were surprisingly quiet. She looked to Lena, who had her reading glasses on and a book in her lap as she sat crossed legged in the armchair.

“shouldn’t we tell him to like, keep the door open or something?” Kara wondered out loud. Lena peeked over the top of her book, her glasses sliding down her nose. She shrugged and adjusted her glasses.

“I don’t think we have to worry about that yet. He’s just like you in that department” Lena smirked and Kara closed her laptop, her head tilted to that side. Like her in what department?

“what do you mean by that?” she asked innocently. Lena just laughed and turned her eyes back to the book.

“exactly” she whispered. With her super hearing, Kara picked up on it. she waited for Lena to elaborate but when it didn’t happen, she just shrugged and went back to work. Sometimes, even after so many years, her wife was a mystery.

A few hours later, the two teens come from Connor’s room, all smiles as they stood in front of them. Mae had a small sketchbook in her hands.

“thank you for dinner Mrs. and Mrs. Danvers. I'm just gonna call an uber and head home” she pointed to the door, but Kara threw a quick look at her wife and nodded. She hopped up and stood in front of their door.

They had been planning to get their two teens on their own all last night and now might just be the chance with Connor.

“no Mae! We can drive you, we insist” Lena got up and walked over to her wife, nodding along with her statement. Mae looked unsure.

“that’s alright Mrs. Danvers. I live kinda far and I wouldn’t want to be a burden” Connor watched the interaction from afar, as if he wasn’t sure what side he should take.

“we would both feel much better if we dropped you off ourselves. It would be no trouble at all, don’t worry hun” Lena smiled and squeezed Kara’s hand before she walked away. She grabbed her keys and the two parents put on their shoes hastily.

“come on, you both have school tomorrow after all” Kara opened the door for them and they walked out, Kara yelling to Zorel that he was in charge while they were gone. He yelled back in approval and Kara went out to the car.

Connor and Mae were sitting together in the back, while Lena adjusted the driver’s seat. She got into the passenger side and looked over the headrest at Mae.

“so, where to miss Mae?”

“4567 Parker Avenue, you know, a few blocks from the school.” She held her bag tightly in her lap as she looked around at the interior of the car. Kara smiled and patted Lena’s thigh.

“I know just where that is. its just down the street from my favorite corner store!” Kara cried, Lena shaking her head as she backed out of their driveway.

“you say that about every place that has that weird bacon flavored ice cream” the CEO gagged and Kara pouted. She could see Mae’s mouth hanging open at their conversation.

“I can have multiple favorites! There's no law about that!” she defended, crossing her arms but struggling to keep the pout on her face without smiling. Lena grinned and reached out a hand, grabbing hers without looking away from the road. Kara laced their fingers and kissed her wife’s knuckles. They rode like that, holding hands for a few minutes till Kara looked at the rearview mirror and at Mae.

“so Mae, how was the first week for you? you excited for this week?” she asked happily, watching as all but Lena’s eyes were on the girl.

“it was good. The main highlight was meeting Connor really. That's probably what will be good about this next week too” the girl shrugged, and she could see Connor covering his cheeks and looking out the window.

“we are really glad you two have become friends. I know what it can be like to not have someone at your back in school” Lena told them as she turned onto the block over from Mae’s house. Mae nodded and lightly hit Connor’s shoulder.

“yeah, before I mostly stuck to myself so Its really cool to have him around” Mae was smiling as she tried to pull Connor’s hand from his face. Kara could just see he was smiling underneath his hand and it made her happy.

It had only been a few months ago that they met the boy and he was still coming into his own and finding a place. She was glad they were making baby steps, even if she wished they were bigger steps.

“that's good. Really” Kara told them as Lena began to pull up on the house. She slowed down in front of their driveway, a large old school Volkswagen van in front. The house was technicolor, so many swirls of reds and blues and greens. She wondered if they did it themselves or hired someone. Either way, surely it was a lot of work.

“thank you both for the ride. I really appreciate it” Mae told them gratefully as she grabbed the door handle. Kara waved it off with a smile.

“oh don’t worry Mae. It makes us feel better knowing you got home okay” Lena nodded her agreement. Mae smiled and then looked to Connor.

“see you Monday Connor” the two waved and the girl hopped out the car, closing it behind her carefully. She ran up the driveway and knocked on the front door. It opened right away and a man stepped out. He was wearing a Beatles t-shirt and jeans when he stepped onto the porch. He smiled, waved at them and gave a thumbs up before walking back inside.

Lena pulled out of the driveway, turning back to the house. Kara took the opportunity and turned to look to Connor, who was staring out the window.

“so Connor, have you been able to hang out with Zorel at school too since you met Mae?” she asked, hoping to lead him into revealing literally anything. The boy looked up at her like a deer in the headlights. He gulped and nodded slowly.

“yeah, kinda. I mean, sure. Yup” his voice cracked throughout the sentence and he bit his lip as his hand reached up to play with his hearing aid, something she had noticed has become a habit. Just like her, he was a terrible liar. Lena was right about this for sure.

“his friend Jason likes to draw too. I assume Zorel introduced you two, I'm sure you have a lot to talk about” Lena jumped in, looking at the rearview mirror occasionally. Connor was sweating bullets now, with her vision Kara could easily see it. he looked away from her and put on a clearly fake smile.

“oh yeah. Its all we talk about” he laughed uneasily, still playing with his hearing aid. Lena nodded and Kara cleared her throat.

“must be tough, trying to fit both Mae and Zorel and his friends in” Connor bit his lip and just nodded, not even trying to give some kind of verbal confirmation of it.

Kara had dealt with many people of the years. She had sat in interrogations and interviews, both as her super mantle and as a reporter. If she learned anything, it was how to tell when someone was lying through their teeth. And their son was Pinocchio right now.

With their suspicions confirmed that the two hadn’t been interacting nearly at all, they decided to drop it for now and spent the rest of the ride in relative silence. Once the car stopped and they were all inside, Connor gave them both quick waves and disappeared into his bedroom. He looked like he was trying not to run as he left.

“that went well” Lena commented in a amused tone as she put the keys back in their tray. Kara nodded, waiting for her wife to walk up to their bedroom together. She put her hands in her pockets as Lena stood with her and started walking.

“I know. But your idea worked. Now to just try on you know who” she shook her head as they walked up the stairs, one hand on the railing and the other still in her pocket. Lena grabbed onto her and the two walked, the brunette’s head on her shoulder.

“why is parenting so difficult?” she sighed, but it was with a happy smile on her face. they both knew there was nothing that could make them regret having their amazing kids. Doesn’t mean it isn’t tough sometimes.

“because our kids are too much like us” she joked, Lena laughing as she opened the door to their room and closed it behind them.

“you know, you’re probably right on that one” Lena told her as she went to their dresser. She grabbed their pajamas and pointed to the bathroom.

“I say we treat ourselves to a bubble bath. You’re with me, right?” Kara looked from her wife to the door and smirked.

“Always” she grabbed Lena’s hand and walked with a pep in her step to the bathroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next time: the Danvers house has an accident


	19. Like the Sleepy Blue Ocean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor has an accident

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tada! as a gift for disapearing for so long, i bring you two chapter in two days! dont worry im still working on the next ones too. i should be back soon with the next chapters, but most likely not tomorrow. and i hear you all in the comments! Mae will stay important even long after this fic. she is special and one of my favorites so expect her in the future. i hope you enjoy this one, it was fun to write and is cute trust me. tell me what you think or if you have any ideas! till next time!

Kara was deep in the middle of a dream full of Lena and potstickers when she felt something was off. Her eyes opened reluctantly, and she looked to her right. There, Lena was still soundly asleep, her nose scrunched up adorably. She smiled and rolled over, touching the spot with her finger. Her wife’s nose unscrunched and she cuddled further into the blankets with a happy sigh. A look to her left showed her nothing but an empty room. So what possibly woke her up?

She heard shuffling by the door and put her head up. she spotted a figure at the end of the bed, their shoulders shaking. She flinched but when her eyes focused, she could easily tell who it was.

“Connor?” she asked, voice groggy as she sat up. She rubbed her eyes and looked to the clock on the nightstand. It was only 5:30 AM, not nearly enough sleep in her opinion. Why would he be up at this time? None of their children were early risers by choice yet here he was. She looked back to her son, who was looking down at his feet, his hands pulling on the hem of his shirt.

“whats wrong” she croaked, shaking Lena before throwing her blanket off and turning to put her feet on the ground. She ran her hand down her face and looked to Connor again. He looked nervous and his eyes were red. Not to mention she could tell he was soaking wet, from what, she wasn’t sure.

Lena slowly woke up, stretching her hands above her and then sitting up. When her wife spotted Connor, she immediately went into worried mother mode, jumping out of bed and pulling him into a hug. She wasn’t even bothered by the fact he was damp, just pulled him right into her arms. He shook his head and started crying.

“I had a nightmare” he confessed through his sobs, pulling away just barely to use his shirt to wipe at his eyes. Lena pulled his head to her chest, attempting to comfort him with soft words and her tight hold. Kara got up and pulled the both of them to her. she set her head down on top of Connor’s and rubbed his back.

“its okay. You can stay here with us if you want” she whispered. Connor shook even harder. She had comforted plenty of shaken people in her life, from her family and friends to victims she met as Supergirl. She hurt every time for them but seeing her son like this would be an image she could never shake from her mind.

“its not just that. I broke it” Kara looked over his head and at Lena, who shook her head and shrugged. They both looked down to him with concern.

“what do you mean, sweetie?” Lena asked kindly, holding his face in her hands as she asked. He didn’t answer, instead pulling her hand and going out the bedroom. They both quietly followed him down the stairs and to his room, the house deadly quiet as they made the short trek. He opened the door and stood aside, leaning against the wall with his head in his hands. Lena went and pulled him to her again and nodded at her.

Kara nodded back and walked in the room first, soon followed by Lena and Connor. she looked around, not seeing what he was talking about. Everything was in its place, nothing broken like he said. She did notice his sheets were missing from his bed, rolled up into a ball and on the floor. She was going to ask him what was wrong when a drop of water fell on her head. She looked up and her eyes widened.

There was a hole in the ceiling of his room, going through their upstairs bathroom and outside. She could see the stars from his ground floor bedroom, which shouldn’t be possible without X-ray vision of course. She looked along the floor and finally noticed the little pieces of bathtub, pipes and drywall along the floor.

_Good thing we have the money to fix that_ she thought as she looked up at the gaping hole. She took it all in quickly and was over the damage fast. This wouldn’t be a problem for them, the physical damage. What truly worried her was what happened that he did this? She could hear Connor’s crying pick up and she rushed over.

“hey, hey. Its okay. Nothing a little elbow grease can’t fix! Alex has been dying for a new renovation project anyway” she told him with a smile. He shook his head and burrowed further into Lena. She too looked on the verge of crying, just barely keeping it in as they watched him break apart. Her wife looked at her with red rimmed eyes, pleading for her to help fix this.

“hey, Connor, bud, why don’t you tell us what you dreamed about? It might make you feel better” he looked at her with his bloodshot eyes, her encouraging smile never wavering. He turned his head away and she thought that meant he wasn’t talking but his voice came out, muffled but still legible.

“Lex came back to take me away. He hurt you” he cried, his arms tightening around Lena. She shushed him and ran a hand through his wet hair. Kara put a hand on the back of his own wet one and rubbed with her thumb.

“you don’t have to worry about him. he’s not coming back, but if he does, he won’t come close to you. I’ll make sure of it” Kara’s heart clenched at the sight of him. there was no one she hated more than Lex for what he did. This was something unforgivable. Even she wasn’t sure if she could keep from killing him if they saw each other right now.

“he wasn’t by himself. Another man was there too, I saw him” Connor shivered and Kara leaned in close. It could be the Assistant mentioned in Lex’s notes. Maybe even proof that the man Lillian mentioned helped in all this.

“do you remember what they looked like?” she questioned, hoping he could think of something. Her hopes were dashed when he shook his head. She tried not to look deflated and just went for another hug with a smile. She couldn’t let him think she was disappointed in her just because she couldn’t control her face.

“that's okay. If you do later on, you just come tell us” she dropped her head to his, holding him and Lena as tight as her strength would allow. She watched as Lena leaned down to his ear and whispered, he nodded, and the brunette rubbed his back reassuringly.

“don’t worry about that Connor, I’ll wash your sheets. Why don’t you come with me to our bathroom and I’ll help you with a bath” she told him with that sweet motherly voice of hers. The boy didn’t give any confirmation but when Lena steered them to the door, he followed without protest. Kara looked to them, then the giant hole in the floors above her.

_I can deal with that tomorrow._ She told herself, turning to the door and going back to the room. When she got to the top of the stairs, she saw Zorel’s door quickly shut closed. She would talk to him after checking on Connor and Lena. She wouldn’t get on him for the fact that he was more than likely playing video games all night again.

When she got to their room, she could hear the bathtub running amid Lena’s voice quietly talking behind the door. She went and knocked, a muffled come in granting her access. Inside, Connor was in the tub, which was full of bubbles. His knees were pulled to himself and he was shivering despite the steam coming off the water. he stared down at the bubbles; his eyes blank but his brow furrowed.

The sight broke her heart, but she smiled through it for him. _always for him._ She crouched beside the tub and scooped up some bubbles in her hand. She held it up to her face and blew, the bubbles flying up and off into the other side of the tub. Connor smiled with sad eyes and she knew they were on the right track.

“do you want to wash up yourself or do you want one of us to help?” Lena asked, her voice still soft as she spoke to him. He pondered for a minute and then looked down at the water.

“I think I can do it on my own” he told them quality. They both just nodded and got up, Lena blowing him a kiss before closing the door. When the door was closed, Lena leaned against it and slipped to the floor, her hands quickly covering her face. Kara got down and pulled her to her, kissing the woman’s neck.

“sorry, I just can’t help it” she sobbed. Kara nodded. She was halfway to that herself if she was honest with herself.

“I know, its tough for me too” she sighed. No one wants to see their child break down like that. Ever.

“we’ll get through this too” she assured her with a tight squeeze. Lena nodded and wiped her eyes, fanning her face as she stood up.

“I know we will. I do” her wife grabbed her hand and smiled. She let go and went to sit on the bed. She could tell Lena was ready to get to a plan, her face morphing into the one she saw whenever her wife was at L-Corp.

“well, he can’t sleep in his room till we fix it. and I doubt he wants to sleep with us _every_ night” Lena thought out loud. Kara agreed, debating where he would sleep till his room was finished. There were only so many choices. With four kids, every room was full. Only one room had enough space to accommodate more than one person and the person in it would _not_ be happy sharing.

“Zorel’s room is the only one with the space” she commented. Lena looked to her exasperated. Her shoulders sagged and Kara felt the much the same inside.

“I know, I know, but maybe this could help their relationship?” it was a good idea but she couldn’t hide the uncertainty in her voice. it was in a few of the parenting books Lena had been scouring recently for help though, so they might be onto something. Lena sighed.

“we could try. It wouldn’t hurt at this point” Lena grabbed her hands and pulled, Kara going to sit beside her. The CEO pulled her arm around her and dropped her head to her shoulder.

“one of us should talk to Zorel. I think he’s awake already” Kara told her as she snuggled closer.

“I’ll do it while you go check up Connor” Lena let her hand go and stood up. Kara nodded at her mission and got up as well, going to check on their oldest only after a quick kiss. Her wife smiled and left the room, leaving Kara to check on Connor.

She went to the bathroom door and knocked, interrupting the soft humming coming from inside.

“come in!” the boy cried, some splashing accompanying it. she pushed the door open and poked her head inside. He was covered in bubbles and waved at her. At least he was seemingly feeling better.

Her eyes couldn’t help but drift to the faded scars along his torso, a crisscrossing network of them displaying the cruelty committed by despicable people. she hadn’t needed the evidence of his life before them to be so blatantly painful. but this wasn’t about her feelings right now, it was about the boy she has some to know as Connor Danvers. She shook her head and smiled at her son. 

“everything okay?” she asked, stepping further into the bathroom. He looked down at the water and moved some bubbles around.

“Can I get a towel?” he asked quietly. She didn’t say anything, just grabbed a towel from the shelf and handed it to him. she went back to the door, holding it in her hand with her back turned to Connor.

“don’t ever be afraid to talk to us Connor. We wouldn’t judge you” she told him over her shoulder. She couldn’t see him, and he didn’t say anything, but she hoped he got it. when there was loud splashed behind her she left.

_Hope Zorel is taking it well_ she thought.

Lena didn’t even need to knock on Zorel’s door, it opened right away and a whoosh told her Zorel superspeed to it and back to do doubt his computer.

She walked in and saw her tired son, who was just playing with the end of his blanket, sitting patiently on his bed when she came in. his computer was on, a paused game on its screen. She was surprised to see he wasn’t sitting in the chair already playing again.

“how much did you hear?” she asked, dropping down to sit on his bed next to him. he shifted around to face her before answering.

“just after you guys went down there. I thought I heard something crash, but I thought it was my game” he told her shyly. Was he guilty about hearing them or being up so late playing games? Lena briefly wondered how is it that she has four other people with super hearing and not one of them heard the commotion while it was happening.

“I will forget the fact you were playing video games in the middle of the night if you listen patiently to what I have to say” Zorel nodded and watched her. She took a deep breath and put a hand on his knee. He looked down at her hand then curiously back up to her face.

“with Connor’s room they way it is, he needs somewhere to stay. Your room is the only one with the, well, room” she bit her lip and watched as Zorel took it in. he didn’t resort to yelling, so, so far they were on a good track.

“okay” he didn’t look mad or anything, his face neutral as he told her. Her eye widened. This was going way better than she had been expecting.

“okay?” she just wanted to double check. Her son, who had strongly opposed Connor staying with them in the first place, was okay with him in his room? what alternate universe was this? If it weren’t for the fact the multiverse didn’t really exist anymore, she would think she was in another universe.

“yeah, its okay” he affirmed, shifting in his spot. She smiled and pulled him in for a hug. He was stiff but went with it after a few seconds. His hand reluctantly went to pat her back and dropped back down to his lap.

“thank you, sweetheart. It means a lot to me. And it will to Connor too” he nodded into her shoulder, looking to his computer as he pulled away.

“I’ll go get your Jeju to set up a bed in here for him. he might sleep with us tonight but after that you two will share” she patted his knee again and stood up, watching from the corner of her eye as he snuck back to his computer. She chuckled and went back to her room, where Connor was sitting beside Kara on their bed. He was in a set of freshly washed pajamas and was no longer crying. Instead, the two were laughing at something on Connor’s phone.

When Kara spotted her, she smiled and waved, Connor doing the same. Lena smiled back and got into bed, leaning over to see what they were watching. She was happy to see the smile on their son’s face above all else.

“Connor was just showing me a video Mae sent him” she pointed at the screen, Connor nodding in agreement.

“I'm sure its hilarious, but if you want to not feel like a zombie tomorrow, you’ll go to sleep” she joked, pulling the blanket over herself with her back to the pair.

“especially you Kara, you have a meeting at the DEO later” Kara groaned, and the bed shifted as she probably dropped down onto it. she heard Connor giggle and he too cuddled up in the blankets.

Lena was smiling so hard her cheeks were hurting. He was already doing better, and she felt great. she would still have to call his therapist in the morning with this particular development, but she didn’t feel like they just took a million steps backwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter: kara and the DEO's investigation picks up steam


	20. Shadows Taller Than Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The DEO conducts a raid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and we're back! its been a busy few weeks but i was finally able to get this done as a special gift for my birthday today! i think it came out pretty well if i say so myself. i hope you all like it, let me know what you think or if you have any ideas. it shouldnt be too long till my next chapter as the semester is coming to an end and the holidays are starting. so expect me to be a little more active soon! and for anyone reading my other fic the lost city of krypton, know that should be updated soon too as in within the next week. anyway, till next time!

“so we’ll see you for dinner right? Lyle wanted Chinese tonight” Lena asked as her and Connor went around to her car. Kara was standing in the doorway, waving them away.

“yup! You know I wouldn’t miss a chance to have potstickers!” she yelled. Lena smiled and opened her door, Connor waving before getting in too.

“I love you” the CEO told her. Kara blushed.

“love you too. Always” Lena blew her a kiss and got in the car, looking to Connor and pointing at the radio. Kara watched them closely as they pulled off and to Connor’s appointment with Dr. Inoue. She had squeezed them in after hearing what happened to him the night before. Kara had intended to go to the DEO earlier in the day but Alex convinced her to stay home for awhile longer, saying crime fighting could wait.

She closed the front door and looked to Zorel. He was at the dining table with his laptop and was playing another game, his headphones on as he stared intently at the screen. She went over and tapped his shoulder, the teen whipping around and pulling off his headphones.

“so you’re in charge while I'm gone. Check on your brother and sister every now and again okay?” she told him as she went to the back door. She slid it open and set a foot outside, looking back to the teen expectedly. He closed his laptop and saluted.

“you got it” he confirmed seriously. She smiled and gave him a thumbs up.

“I love you. I didn’t want to wake up the twins but tell them I love them too.” Her son nodded and she went to the backyard, the sliding door clicking behind her. She pulled her glasses off and shot up, flying up above the clouds and off to the DEO. It hardly took 5 minutes before she was landing on the balcony.

Alex was already standing there waiting beside brainy, a clipboard in hand as she approached her. they were both looking at a screen, Brainy shaking his head with his hands on his hips. Alex patted his shoulder and walked to her sister.

“thanks for coming Kar. We actually had a development last night” her sister said as she led her to the holotable in the middle of the command center. There, James and Nia were talking quietly between them, waving as they walked to them. Kara pointed over her shoulder to Brainy, unable to shake her curiosity at what she saw.

“what happened?” Alex stopped and looked to where she was pointing. She took a deep breath and put a hand on Kara’s forearm. The two of them stopped in the middle of the walkway, Kara warily waiting for her answer.

“he was looking into that Donovan character Lillian told you about. I'm sorry Kara but everything there has been a dead end” Alex looked downcast and Kara could feel her own shoulders sag at the news.

“but how could it be a dead end? We have his name and we’re the DEO for Rao’s sake!” Kara knew her voice was raising and quickly went to calm it down. Alex was on her side, she shouldn’t get mad at her because of a speed bump. She should be mad at Donovan and Lex.

“I know, usually we would have it in the bag but its almost like the guy just disappeared off the face of the earth. his last appearance was years ago and since then, nothing” Kara sighed and looked down at the floor, but Alex nudged her face with her knuckles with a smile.

“but don’t worry Kar. I'm sure we’ll pick up the trail again. Especially after what I'm gonna tell you” her sister walked off to the holotable, Kara following dutifully. She felt her spirits rise as they walked to the other heroes.

The elder danvers pressed a button on the table and a map popped up, along with a report. It was a simple looking office building, a single story but with stairs leading deep down into the ground.

“last night, one of our agents” James pointed at himself with a smile at that. Alex looked at him with a raised eyebrow but continued.

“one of our agents uncovered one of Lex’s notes, stating the encrypted location of a base of operations. After deciphering it, we discovered it was here in the city.” She zoomed out and showed the offices location, a street on the opposite side of the city. Kara felt like she was fuming. The dirt bag who hurt her son was hiding right under her nose for years and she had no idea.

“we don’t know how long its been empty, or if its empty at all. I'm going to send a few teams today and check it out” Kara stood up straighter and put her hands on her hips to keep from crushing the precious table.

“I can go. and I can get there much faster” Alex looked at her exasperated. She knew of the talk between her and Lena, her need to eventually step away from the physical hero work. Surely Lena wouldn’t mind this time? It was for their son after all.

“Supergirl, I'm not sure if that's-“ Kara cut her off with a raised hand and her sister huffed.

“its alright. Me and James can go, you guys just provide backup” James looked excited at the idea of going on a mission with Supergirl and only Supergirl. A goofy smile was plastered on his face and he looked to Nia who was laughing, covering her mouth with her hand. Alex shook her head with a sigh.

“fine, but Dreamer, you go and establish a perimeter with Bravo team. No ones sneaking out or in on my watch” Alex shooed her away and left, Nia following her. Kara looked to James and gestured for him to follow.

“ready to go Blue beetle?” she smirked as he nodded far too aggressively. She walked calmly to the balcony, James tripping in his haste to follow. She jumped off the ledge and was soon followed by James. They were deathly silent as they flew across the city and to the inconspicuous building. Her mind was too full of the mission to make any small talk with the young man. The two of them landed with a thud, Kara looking around with a scrutinizing eye.

The area was inconspicuous. A few random office building, a worn down factory next door. Nothing of note that screamed ‘evil lair’ to her. her com crackled to life and Alex’s voice came through.

“ _okay Supergirl. Dreamer is almost there with bravo not far behind. Whenever you and Blue Beetle are ready, go in”_ Kara nodded and looked to James. She pointed at the door and he raised a hand, shooting it down with a flash of blue.

She went in first, hands up in front of her as they went inside. The room was full of old, halfheartedly thrown around furniture, like in their haste they couldn’t be bothered to do anything but move it out of their way. She could see the dust flying around the room, a few spider webs here and there. No one had been in there for a good long time, that was for sure.

“I'm going to use my xray vision to see the rest of the building. If there's lead in my way, we’ll know where to go” James nodded and looked around, his arms still up defensively.

She looked around with her xray vision, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Most of the building looked like the entrance; old, dusty and unused. Dilapidated in the truest sense of the word. She knew there were floors below and looked there too. One room jumped out at her. She could see the door leading to it but not the room itself. She snapped her fingers and pointed, causing James to jump up and over to her. She tapped to her comm.

“Alex, looks like there's something downstairs. We’re going in” she put her hand down and went to the stairs, James close behind. She went down the many flights and stopped at the bottom, where the lead lined room was waiting for them. a second look with her Xray vision confirmed what she already knew; secret lab. She squared her feet, ready to shoot it down with her heat vision but then James stepped in front of her. she looked astounded at him.

“obviously Lex was prepared for you finding this. Must be some anti Kryptonian stuff inside” she knew his reasoning was sound and sighed. He took that as a sign to go ahead and pointed his hand at the door once again.

He shot it and it didn’t budge. He let loose again and just like before, nothing. He looked to her and she pointed at her eyes. He got the hint and the two of them stood with their feet spread and grounded. They both shot at it, Kara’s heat vision and James’ lasers. The door melted away in the center and they could see inside.

Kara stopped and put a hand on James’ shoulder. He stopped and looked to her as she walked to the door. She reached in and grabbed the door handle, the door popping open.

The two heroes walked inside, and Kara took it all in. there was wall to wall screens, each off but unlike the rest of the building, nothing was covered in dust. There was a lot of equipment inside, some with flashing lights and a few beeping. Something that caught her attention were the three human sized test tubes on the far wall.

They were all empty, but she cringed thinking of the one Connor had been in when they found him. as someone with claustrophobia, it sounded extremely unpleasant. Now knowing what her son had been through, it sounded like torture.

“someones been here, _recently”_ she commented through gritted teeth, walking around the room to get a look around. She opened a drawer and was just met with the bottom surface. Everything was much like that, all empty and cleaned out. She was getting frustrated as she looked around for clues and found nothing.

“damn it” she said through clenched teeth, slamming her hand down onto the table in front of her. The desk snapped and it sagged slightly under the weight of the computer on it. James ran over and grabbed her shoulder, his eyes looking at her with a touch of pity.

“might want to let Brainy know hes got a job ahead of him. he might know how to get something off this stuff” James said into his comm. He looked like he wanted to talk to her but was stopped with a distant screeching sound. They both turned around and something crashed through the wall, grabbing James by the shoulders and tumbling down to the ground. Kara shielded her face as pieces of the wall came apart, showering them.

What came through the wall looked like a deformed bird, feathers sticking out of humanoid arms and legs. Their head turned to her and she cringed. It had a beak but a largely human face. it squeaked at her and she shook herself from the trance she was in.

Kara went to help him but was caught off guard by another harpy thing jumping through the wall and tackling her. It clawed at her back and ripped her suit. She sat up and pulled it down from her back, sending them flying right into one of the test tubes. It broke apart and sent glass everywhere like sparkling rain. The harpy pulled itself back up, ignoring its wounds, obviously bleeding profusely, and crawled over to her. She went over and sent a well-placed kick, the harpy stopping its movements.

She could finally take a look over to James, who sent the harpy on top of him flying up into the ceiling. They scattered pieces of sheetrock around the ground and onto James faces as it fell back down without a sound. He sputtered, spitting pieces of ceiling out of his mouth.

They were catching their breath when one of the computers came on. a fuzzy, pixelated face popped up and Kara could just barely make out a smile before they started talking.

“try all you want Supergirl. I am not one step ahead. I am miles ahead” the robotic voice taunted. Her eyes glowed red as they began their next sentence. Whoever this is is going to learn what happens when you piss off Supergirl.

“I will get back my most amazing creation, even if you have to die for me to have him” she yelled and shot her heat vision through the screen, the face disappearing from her sight. She didn’t stop, melting the computer and watching the pieces drop onto the table below. She continued until a hand grabbed her shoulder and she snapped out of it.

It was Alex, who was looking at her deeply concerned. The DEO had already swarmed inside, both Dreamer and Brainy examining the wrecked room. Kara took a ragged breath and sat on the floor, Alex following her down.

“they’re out there. And they want Connor” she whispered, grabbing onto Alex’s arm. Her sister nodded and held her shoulder tighter.

“we’ll find them, I guarantee it.” Alex looked determined and Kara knew she would follow through.

“thank you” she told her truthfully. She was thankful everyday for having a sister like Alex. she always came through for them when they needed it. Rao knew how much she came through for them when she was temporarily gone thanks to Doomsday. Alex nodded at the closest agent and began handing out orders in her ‘director Danvers voice’ as Kara called.

“start loading all of this up and take it to the DEO” Alex put a hand up to her communicator.

“Brainy, be ready to get to work. And you” Alex turned to her and pointed with a stern look. Kara flinched and pointed at herself. Alex nodded.

“you go ahead and get back to your family. I’ll get everything we need from James” she pointed at the young man, who was already relaying everything to Dreamer.

“alright. Call me if you need anything” Kara stood up, Alex’s hand hovering around her as she got up. She waved her off and made for the exit, her sister still following. When they got out to the street, Kara could see the whole area was blocked off, DEO agents in unmarked SUVs everywhere. She was about to jump up and away when Alex grabbed her cape.

“don’t think about this too much. We can handle it for now” Kara just nodded and flew off, heading straight back to the house. Her mind was racing at everything they found at the secret lab. Every bone in her body was hoping that Brainy would be able to find something to capture the sick people that hurt her family.

She doesn’t know how she would be able to handle it if something happened to Connor or the rest of their children because of this.

Before she knew it, she landed in their backyard. taking off her glasses, the suit disappeared and she looked down at her watch. Lena and Connor should be back by now. She casually went in, smiling when she heard her children’s voices and Lena’s laugh.

She went further in and saw everyone playing monopoly, with Lena as the banker. Lori was bickering with Zorel, the elder brother holding his hand out while Lori clutched her money close to her chest. Lyle spotted her first and yelled her name as he ran over. he slammed into her legs and she moved back an inch. He was getting stronger, no doubt.

The others caught on, Lori and Zorel quickly dropping their argument, and came to greet her. First Lori, then Connor, who seemed like he wasn’t sure he was supposed to be a part of the hug, and lastly Zorel. Lena walked slowly behind them and pulled her face to her. They kissed, with few gagging sounds from the kids as they broke apart.

“good day?” her wife asked, a hint of nervousness. Her hand was rubbing her cheek gently and Kara sighed.

“I’ll tell you all about it tonight” Lena nodded and kissed her cheek. The children were all still holding on to her and talking at once, too much for her to keep track of. That's when Lena stepped in.

“okay okay, your Jeju is tired and very dirty, so let her go clean up first” Lena grabbed her hand and the kids let go, walking back to the game and watching the two of them go up to their room. Kara could hear Lori and Zorel pick up their bickering again and shook her head.

Inside their room, Lena immediately pounced, looking over her with concern etched in her face.

“you look exhausted” Lena commented, looking worriedly at her, eye traveling up and down her body. Kara waved her off and started stripping on her way to the bathroom. She groaned as she pulled her shirt over her head, another pair of hands helping to pull it up.

“I think I'm just tired from this morning, everything with Connor you know” she groaned as she slipped the last of her clothes off and slunk into the bathroom. She turned on the shower and got in, Lena following her into the bathroom.

“if you say so.” her wife went and sat on the sink, her arms crossed.

“Zorel helped me move Connor’s bed to his room. Connor agreed to sleep there tonight” her wife sounded nervous and she looked to her. Kara’s eyes drifted over to Lena briefly and nodded.

“they’ll be okay. I'm sure of it” she stuck her head under the pouring faucet and let the water flow down her face. she peeked at Lena, who licked her lips but continued to try and talk.

“yeah I think so. You know, now that I think about, I need a shower too” the brunette began to take her clothes off, but Kara stopped her, a very rare occurrence.

“I think the kids are still waiting for their banker to came back” Kara laughed, and Lena zipped her pants back up. She pouted, pulling her shirt back down.

“right. Rain check darling” she went and kissed her, her hair getting wet as she did so. She watched Lena run off, leaving her with her thoughts and a hot shower. She did her best to avoid the negative thoughts, her hope still high when it came to finding Lex’s accomplice. She filled her mind with the positives of Connor’s growth over the last few months and it allowed her to continue with her shower peacefully.

She washed up quickly and got dressed in comfy clothes. She walked down after her hot shower and saw Lena setting the Chinese takeout on the coffee table. The kids were all eagerly waiting, plates and chopsticks in hand. Kara raised an eyebrow at her wife, who had a strict no eating in the living room policy. Lena shrugged.

“we can bend a rule here and there right?” she turned the tv on and sat down, power rangers coming on their flat screen. Kara smiled and grabbed a plate too, looking around at their children. All of them were watching power rangers with rapt attention, Connor leaning forward in his spot on the floor with intense eyes.

When the food was finished, Kara yawned and stood up.

“I'm just gonna rest my eyes, I’ll be back” the kids all burst into a chorus of no’s.

“but its almost the best part!” Lyle cried, pointing at the tv with a chopstick. She smiled and waved as she walked to the stairs.

“we can watch another later” she walked up the stairs and when she closed the bedroom door, she heard some cheers. The episode must have finally gotten to the beating the bad guys part.

She went and laid down on the bed. she only meant to sit down for a few minutes but when she opened her eyes, it was 8 o clock at night and Lena was shaking her awake.

“darling, lets go say goodnight to the kids” Kara groaned and got up, groggily following Lena to the twin’s rooms. Lori was patiently waiting in her room, her stuffed turtle in hand. Kara sat down on the foot of her bed, Lena squeezing in beside their daughter.

“goodnight little one” Kara grabbed one of her little hands and smiled. Lena kissed the side of her head and ran a hand through her long hair.

“sweet dreams princess. We’ll see you in the morning” Lena told her as she got up, the little girl snuggling into her blanket as Lena tucked her in. first her wife kissed her forehead, then Kara got up and did the same. They quietly slinked out of her room and into Lyle’s.

They walked in and the boy had his reading light on, a book in his lap. Kara went over and took off his glasses, the little boy’s head whipping over to them. she turned the light off and pulled up his blanket.

“time for bed our little genius” she took his book and set the marker in the page before setting it down on his bedside table. He huffed but when Lena kissed his cheek he calmed down.

“we can read together in the morning, for now you need to sleep” Lena told him as he laid back and let her tuck him in.

“night Jeju, Mommy” he whispered, snuggling into his old Dreamer teddy bear Nia had gotten him years ago. They both smiled and walked out, knowing there was only one room left.

They walked up the stairs and to the last stop, the room quiet as they pushed the door. Both boys were in their beds and in the blankets, though neither was asleep.

“you boys comfy?” Lena asked going into the room further. Both nodded, not saying a word.

“well that's good! We hope you two sleep tight okay” Kara went up to Connor first and kissed the top of his head. The boy smiled and she went to Zorel, who was getting a kiss from his mother. She kissed his forehead and ran a hand through his hair before going to Connor.

Kara sat down on Zorel’s bed and kissed his head. She looked into his eyes and winked.

“be nice to him, would you?” she whispered. He didn’t give any confirmation but hugged her. Maybe that was a good sign?

When she pulled away, Lena was just finishing with Connor and tapped his nose, kissing his forehead before getting up and going with her. Kara opened the door and waved at the two of them, the boys waving back.

Connor was still waving even as they walked out. He only put his hand down when the door clicked behind them. now it was just him and Zorel. all. night. Nothing to worry about, right?

He looked to Zorel and clutched his blanket higher to his chest. Zorel looked over to the light switch and then back to him.

“do you want me to leave the light on?” his brother asked in a surprisingly kind tone. Connor blinked at him. who was this? He didn’t treat him with utter disgust or indifference, and their parents weren’t around. He shook out of his thoughts and nodded.

“if that's okay” he said shyly. Zorel gave a small smile and nodded. Connor looked at him astounded. His brother smiled at him and wasn’t forced to do it.

“sure. I can sleep with it on. you know, mom could get you a nightlight if you wanted” Zorel told him warmly before shifting in bed and laying down, his back to him. Connor’s mouth dropped open and he had to do everything in his power to not cry into his pillow with happiness.

Then Zorel sat up quickly, throwing the blanket off his legs and swinging his feet over and to the floor. Connor watched him in confusion as he got down on his knees next to his bed. the other boy pulled out a container from under his bed and shuffled around inside.

“I know you’re in here” he mumbled. After a minute, he cried out and held something in his hand.

“aha! Found it!” he declared as he turned around. In his hands was a clear Supergirl nightlight, in her usual flying hero pose. There was water in it, with red, blue, and gold El crests floating inside. He turned to Connor with a kind smile.

“you think this could work?” Connor didn’t say anything, just nodding. Zorel went to the outlet next to Connors bed and plugged it in. he hit a switch and Connor could see the faint light radiating off it.

Connor kept his eyes on the gift as the lights flipped off. he leaned back and pulled the blankets tighter to his face. he couldn’t believe what was happening.

Zorel was being nice to him, and no one was forcing him. it was all real and only Zorel being himself with him finally. Maybe it was just a onetime thing, but he would take it for all it was worth. As he laid down facing Zorel, he was smiling like he never had before.


	21. Smiles Returning To Our Faces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> some little discoveries for connor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> let me start by saying thanks for being so patient! i really got hit with a motivation slump and with school starting a few weeks ago, i jsut havent had it in me to work on my fics. Hopefully this is the start of a new push for myself to get back into the flow of things! i know this is a little boy but i actually have a gift for you. next chapter is pretty long and should be out by tomorrow! hopefully you like this one after such a long wait. let me know what you think! should be back tomorrow party people!

Connor was sitting patiently on the bleachers facing the baseball field, his notebook in his lap as he sketched out a rough outline of the field and the players. Mae was beside him reading a comic book, her bottom lip between her teeth as she quietly made her way through the pages. He had tried to ask her about baseball, but She yelled something about finding ‘inspiration’ before shushing him and going back to her book.

Kara had to run on a last-minute assignment and Lena was in a meeting till 4 so he would have to stay with Zorel for his practice and go home together, with Mae in tow.

It hadn’t really felt as boring as Mae thought it would be. He was excited to see how the sport worked. He would have to see if Zorel could explain it later, if he was in the mood to talk with him.

Zorel had been surprisingly nice to him as of late. That terrible first week of school seemed to be a one off and he wasn’t sure what made his brother change his mind, but he liked it. they weren’t best friends or anything, but Zorel didn’t look at him like he wanted to vaporize him on sight so there was a great improvement to say the least. He thought of Mae’s suggestion that second Monday of school.

“ _maybe he finally realized what an asshat he was” she commented with her mouth full at their usual spot on the outskirts of the campus. She held her sandwich in the air in front of her, a small blob of peanut butter threatening to fall out._

_“Mae! That’s not very nice” he scolded, his face red from her language. He hadn’t really used any bad words yet. he hadn’t mastered when to be able to use them and neither Kara or Lena said them from what he heard, so he avoided them._

_“what? He was. can’t deny the facts billionaire boy” he shook his head at the nickname as she shrugged._

_“I'm not denying, I'm just…sure there’s a better way to say it” he took a bite of one of his sandwiches Kara made for him as he thought of it. could his brother possibly be changing how he treats him? Or was that just his own wishful thinking?_

The idea that Zorel was coming around to him was floating around his mind and he couldn’t help but feel a smile come to his lips. He just wants his brother to like him. the twins had grown to him right away and they were amazing. He wondered if that’s how he would’ve been at their age had he been _normal_. He couldn’t even remember being their age, everything from before he met the Danvers melting together in a mass of pain and fuzzy images. The only evidence to show for his past being the scars that littered his skin under his clothes, that he scrutinized every day in the bathroom mirror.

The fact he couldn’t have that experience to lean back on creeps on him from time to time. When Kara and Lena took them all to the park the previous day, he found himself jealous when Kara picked up Lori and put her on her shoulders. The girl yelled happily, calling out directions for her Jeju to follow. Kara laughed and listened to her orders, Lena shaking her head with a smile.

He wished he could have that, be a little kid growing up with Kara and Lena as his parents. It just wasn’t meant to be that way it seemed. He had them now, and he would always be grateful for that, but he longed to have them before he was 16. Dr. Inoue said not to dwell on it, but he couldn’t help it at times.

He was so deep in thought that he didn’t notice practice was over. A piece of waded up paper hit his face, sputtering as he shook himself out of his thoughts and looked for the culprit. Mae was looking cheekily beside him, holding up a second piece of paper.

“come on Connor, looks like your brothers done” she threw the piece of paper in her hand, hitting him square in the face as she hopped up from her spot and jumped off the side of the bleachers. He tried not to trip as he shot up and followed her, stopping at the entrance to the field where Zorel was talking with the team.

“I’ll go see If your mom is here” she told him, slapping his shoulder and going to stand on the sidewalk on the other side of the large outer fence. Leaving just him to stand around and wait.

Everyone was able to pack up quickly and leave, waving and shouting goodbyes to Zorel as they went. As captain, his brother had to talk to the coach before they could head out, so he learned at the dinner table recently. He watched the two, Zorel nodding every now and then as the couch talked at him.

After a few minutes, the coach went to a small storage shed off to the side of the field, and Zorel came to his bag, quickly spotting him waiting there at the far edge of the dugout. They blinked at each other, as if neither was sure what to do with the situation. Connor nervously played with the strap of his bag till Zorel beckoned for him to come. He looked behind him, sure the other boy meant someone else but there was no one but him.

Zorel was hurriedly putting his things in his bag, unclipping the metal bracelet from his wrist. It made a quick high-pitched beep and a little red light turned off. he tilted his head at the little device as he shoved it into his duffle bag hastily. His curiosity got the better of him.

“what is that that you were wearing?” he asked, pointing into Zorel’s bag as the boy sat to untie his cleats. Zorel stopped and looked into his bag to see what he was talking about. Then he looked around to make sure the dugout was empty, the coach well out of ear shot. Zorel looked back to him as he pulled off his first cleat.

“it’s a red sun bracelet. Mom made it so I could keep playing baseball and not do _too_ well or hurt anyone.” He whispered as he pulled out his usual sneakers, putting one on and then working on taking off the other cleat. Connor hadn’t known a red sun bracelet was an option. After what happened the other night to his ceiling, which wouldn’t be fixed for a while, the idea of having no powers for a little sounded nice.

“so are you human right now?” Connor whispered, leaning in close to keep it between the two of them. to his surprise, and a little disappointment, Zorel shook his head.

“just dulls them. I'm like a step around bodybuilder right now. So I couldn’t lift the moon but a two or even three hundred pounds? With a little effort, sure.” Zorel slipped on his other sneaker and didn’t bother tying them, just shoved the laces into his shoe and stood up. he reached out and tentatively put a hand his shoulder. before he could get used to the feeling, his brother quickly pulled his hand back and turned to grab his bag.

“If you want one, I'm sure mom would make you one. Even Jeju uses one, sometimes” he added quickly, brushing past him to leave the dugout. He watched his back, just stuck in place, until Zorel stopped. The boy turned and gave him a funny look.

“well? Come on! Mom is probably waiting already” He gestured for him to move it and Connor burst into a run to catch up. he skid to a stop next to his brother, kicking up some dirt and grass as he did so. Zorel chuckled and Connor felt like he was flying. He had to look down to make sure he wasn’t actually.

They both walked quietly to the street, where they didn’t see Kara’s car parked. Connor and Zorel look at each other in confusion, Zor-El’s phone pinging not long after. He scanned it quickly then pointed to the school’s main parking lot to the right.

“mom says her and Mae are over there waiting.” Connor nodded, following behind his brother as they walked. He didn’t want to walk too close and make him angry, so he was sure to keep his distance.

There were still quite a few cars in the parking lot when they got there, making it a lot harder to find their mother in all of it. Connor looked exasperated at the search, but Zor-El lightly slapped his chest and flicked his head.

“I’ll look over here, you check that way.” Connor nodded and the two brothers split up for their mission. They would use Xray vision, but Kara had warned them about being careful as it can hurt people, radiation and all.

So he walked, looking in each lane for Lena’s car. there were still a lot of students there, some groups leaning against their trunked or car doors talking. He heard a few doors slam and the beep of a horn somewhere in the lot.

He turned down the second to last lane near the back of the lot, spotting a man digging around in their trunk. When they came out, he realized it was Mr. Novo stacking boxes on a cart beside his car.

Curiosity took hold of him and he slowly walked over, watching as his teacher seemed to be rushing to go. and if he wasn’t mistaken, he was sweating.

_That's weird. Its not even that hot. Maybe those boxes are heavy?_

Connor came up behind his teacher, silently watching him pull out what he now saw as boxes of papers and weird tech stuff Connor had never seen. he reached out and tapped the man’s shoulder, Mr. Novo flinching and hitting his head on his trunk door.

“ouch! Who’s there? Why are you watching me!” he yelled, turning around and reaching a hand into his coat pocket. Connor stood defensively, watching as realization came across Mr. Novo’s face and he calmed down. the hand in his jacket came out as he smoothed out his suit and looked curiously at him.

“what are you working on there Mr. Novo? Need help?” Connor asked as he tried to peek at the trunk. Mr. Novo blocked his view with his body, a hand going up to close the trunk. There was the sound of feet running on gravel behind him and Mae was at his side.

If it was possible, Mr. Novo seemed even more nervous as he looked between the two of them. Mae had on a dangerous face; one Connor had never seen on her before.

“yeah, Mr. N, need help?” she asked with a harsh tone. Like she was accusing him of something. The man sputtered, knocking some boxes over onto the pavement, which he dove straight into the ground for.

“n-no, I can handle this perfectly on my own.” He assured them as he gathered the spilled contents of the box. It was a mix of stuff, papers, what looked to be computer components and something with an L emblazoned on it.

“what is all that stuff?” Mae asked, kicking a circuit board with her foot. He snatched the piece away, shoving it in a box as he answered.

“oh you know, new stuff for your class. Plans and what not. Teacher things” Connor raised an eyebrow at that.

“teacher things? In all those boxes?”

“yes! Now please leave so I can finish.” The man snapped at them, his face turning even redder and a vein beginning to pop on his forehead.

“sure, thing Mr. N, me and Connor were just leaving any way” Mae pulled him back and turned, Connor watching still over his shoulder as Mr. Novo grabbed his cart and nearly sprinted up to the school.

“man, that guy is so weird. He gives off such a creepy vibe you know. Especially with you” Connor hadn’t really even realized anything was off.

“you think?”

“you haven’t noticed?” she stared at him like a new head had just grown from his shoulder.

“kinda but I don’t know, I thought that's just how teachers are.” Even though he’s been out in the real world for a few months now, he’s still new to the whole thing. Especially to school. He doesn’t really have a meter for ‘weird’ yet. he’s a half human half alien clone after all.

“well good thing you have me billionaire boy, cause him? he’s weird.” She looked cautiously up ahead, to where Mr. Novo was still scrambling up to school with his stuff. Connor eyed him carefully, taking note of his actions.

“thanks for the warning. It is good I have you.” And he really meant it. Mae was a life saver if there ever was one. She had been there for him so far, and he really hoped to keep her for as long as possible.

“now come on, Zorel is already at the car. me and your mom were really bonding you know” the pair walked together, Mae’s arm still around his back as they came up on the car.

Mae walked up and pulled the front door open, Connor taking his spot in the back beside his brother. Lena smiled as the two got in the car and looked in the rearview mirror.

“everyone ready?” she checked in, Connor nodding as he buckled in. Zorel on the other hand shook his head and leaned forward.

“how come she gets the front?” he whined, grabbing the back of the headrest and looking accusingly at Mae. She smirked and sunk further into the leather seat.

“Because she’s a nice girl who is your guest and she beat you to it.” Lena playfully told him, turning the car on and easily pulling off into the street. Zorel elbowed his brother in the ribs and put his hand to the side of his mouth as if he was hiding his words from Lena.

“we see who her favorite is now” he gestured to Mae, smiling as he joked. Connor smiled back and was just happy to be let into Zorel’s games.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nect chapter: kara and zorel talk, Mae and Connor hang out


	22. But I Need A Little Sympathy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and Zorel talk, Mae and Connor prepare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and im back! a little later than i originally intended cause i ended up just being so busy this week but chapter is finished! the perspective hops around a few times because i felt like it made most sense that way. from here forward it should really start to pick up, theres gonna be a good mix of angst and fluff on the way that i know. hopefully it wont take me too long to get the next chapter out, as its not written yet it just might. ill be back as soon as possible, but till then enjoy this pretty long boy! let me know what youre thinking, ideas and theories more than accepted since ive still got almost 20 chapters planned! till next time!

“you two gonna be okay here by yourselves?” Kara asked as she leaned over Zorel in the passenger side of the car. They were in front of the local mall, a part of her for some reason nervous to leave Connor on his own. Even though he was a 16 year old teenager, she couldnt help but feel protective of him.

“yeah, I think we’re good” Connor assured her. he and Mae were standing on the sidewalk beside the car, his notebook studiously in his hand and Mae holding a canvas bag.

“okay, if you’re sure then we’ll leave you to it. call me when you’re ready” Kara smiled and leaned back in her seat. Mae waved her off and put a hand on her son’s shoulder.

“don’t worry Mrs. Danvers, I’ll make sure we stay out of trouble” the girl winked at her with a thumbs up and Kara couldn’t contain a smile at the gesture. She knew that if any trouble were to happen, Connor could handle it but no one else knew that. Mae almost reminded her of Lena, back before she knew the big secret.

Kara would be insane if she didn’t notice how protective the girl was over her son. She was glad he had someone else to have his back when his family couldn’t be there. Kara put a hand on her chest and smiled brightly.

“that's a real load off my chest Mae. Alright then you two” she leaned back into her seat and they all began to split up till she remembered the little plastic card in her pocket.

_Lena would not be happy if they didn’t have it!_

“oh wait. I almost forgot!” she fumbled around In her pocket, all the teens around her watching with curious eyes. Mae came to peek through the passenger side window.

“Lena gave me this for the two of you to use. So you don’t have to worry about the cost of anything while you're In there” she held the shiny black card out to Mae, who gaped at it, her eyes blown wide as she pushed it away.

“we cant take this Mrs. Danvers! I brought my own money we can use” Mae reached over to her bag slung over her shoulder but Kara reached out and shoved it into her hand.

“nonsense Mae. What’s the point of being billionaires if we cant use it? and its just Kara, remember?” Mae looked down at the card and up at her, then to Connor. The boy just shrugged with that sheepish grin of his. Even though the boy looked so much like Lena, it was those little things like that grin that Kara saw herself in. Every time she was reminded, it just made her wish she had found out about him sooner. They could have saved him from so much pain if only-

“okay. Thank you so much. And tell mrs- I mean Lena I said thank you” Mae interrupted her doom and gloom with her thanks. She snapped out of her overthinking and waved it off, turning the car back on at the same time.

“no problem Mae. Now go on! Text me when you're ready to go Connor! and the number for the card is your birthday!” she shouted as the two waved, slinking off into the waiting mall. She saw Zorel wave back lazily and he sunk into his seat, looking ahead.

“so where are we heading Zorel?” she asked, turning in her seat to look at him. he shrugged and hand went back up to rest on the window. He put his head down and looked up.

“hmm I don’t know.” He looked out her questioningly, and she thought hard of what they could do while they waited for Connor’s text.

It had been awhile since it was just the two of them. With Lena and the twins spending the day at Eliza’s, her and Zorel had a whole list of things they could do.

Looking at him, her mind flashed briefly to the past. That first time it was just the two of them, with Lena away on business in Europe. Rao, it was years ago now, but she couldn’t help but feel like they were right back in those days, if only for a brief moment.

Back when she took him to the park, his arms wrapped around her neck as she ran with him on her back. Or they played superheroes together and saved Lena, who would happily play a CEO in distress between work calls. Those days were a million miles away as she looked at the teenager in the passenger seat.

Hes grown so much. She doubted a piggyback ride would make him nearly as excited as it had then. His interests were so different back then, now it was girls and friends and sports.

_That’s it!_

“hey. Why don’t we head to the park, maybe play some catch? We haven’t done that in a long time” they hadn’t done it in years if she was truly honest. He had learned it pretty quickly and since then he’s used his friends for practice.

She bit her lip as she waited for his approval, watching as he nodded thoughtfully, then turned to her with a tiny smile.

“okay, but we’ll have to go back for my glove” his smile was growing, but it was that sneaky one he seemed to have inherited from Lena. The one they used when they had an idea they were holding onto, waiting for the perfect point to share it for maximum effect. She had her family down to a science at this point.

“ill take care of that when we get there” she turned in her seat again, turning the car on and making her way out of the mall parking lot.

Meanwhile, Zorel leaned over the center console, his eyebrows raising. She shook her head and waited for whatever was about to come out of his mouth.

“oooorrr. What if I flew in my suit?” she glared at him out of the corner of her eye as she weaved through the parking lot.

_Should have suspected that one_

“Zorel you know you cant go out in that yet. People cant know you exist till your training is done” she shook her head and Zorel groaned, throwing his head back and hitting the headrest of his chair.

_Theres my stubborn child!_ she laughed in her mind.

He leaned forward again and gestured wildly with his hands as he counted off all the reasons she should let him go with his fingers.

“but Jeju! I’ve been working on my speed! No one will even know I'm there I just really want to wear it” she pulled out of the parking lot and came to a red light, taking the chance to look at him.

He did deserve a lot of credit. he had been working a lot with her, Alex and the other agents at the DEO. Some days he went before school, somehow waking up at 5 every day. On weekends he would end up spending the whole day there, learning about different strategies and the technology he could use as a hero. The two of them have been sparring together too, which he was getting surprisingly good at.

When he was finally ready to take her place, she knew he would be a fine hero. She understood where he was coming from too as he gave her those big puppy dog eyes. \

She could remember being like this, so desperately wanting to use her powers, to be Supergirl. It just wasn’t time yet, and she would stand firm on that. She scanned him up and down and you couldn’t miss the tell tale white fabric just barely sticking out of the top of his shirt.

“are you wearing it right now?” she queried, his mouth immediately shutting closed as he looked away. He wouldn’t make eye contact as he adjusted his collar.

“….maybe” he mumbled. She chuckled and as the light turned green, she shook her head.

“as much as it hurts me to say it, no. not only is it a risk we don’t need, your mother would murder me” Kara was already shivering at the potential stern talk she would get from her wife if she let him fly. The imaginary Lena in her mind was scolding her, her eyebrows raised and arms crossed at the mere idea of it.

Zorel scoffed with a smirk and Kara stared at him.

_All these years and he doesn’t understand the kind of power his mother has?! She makes dinner for Rao’s sake! What if she made me eat a salad as punishment?!!!_

“mom isn’t even capable of murder. She cried when I squished that spider the other day instead of taking it outside.” Kara resisted the urge to bust up laughing at that. she almost forgets sometimes the journey that her and Lena have been on has been so long, the people they were is entirely different then who Zorel knows.

For Zorel, his mother had only ever kissed his Boo-boos and made him his bag lunches, complete with sticky notes adorned with hearts and smiles. Kara has always known that’s who Lena is, but she knew the Lena who tried to hide that. the one who built Non Nocere, the one who shot her brother to protect her friends and turned in her mother for attempted genocide. She saw more sides of Lena then her children even knew existed and she preferred it that way.

“what can I say. Your moms come a long way” Zorel did a double take, staring at her like she suddenly grew a third head. He opened his mouth as if he was prepared to interrogate her over what she said but didn’t give him the chance.

“so, anything new to report? About school or life in general?” Zorel just stared at her for a moment, his mouth open the whole time. After a couple seconds, he shook his head and blinked the confusion from his eyes as he gave her the short version.

“meh. Not really. Same old same old. Homework is boring, baseball is going well.” She knew that wasn’t all there was to it and remembered something he said a few weeks ago, a certain girl in one of his classes.

“how about in the romance department? Didn’t you mention a girl?” she smirked as he cried out in surprise, flinching as he nudged her lightly.

“Jeju!”

“What was her name? Katie? Or was it candace? “ she put a finger to her chin and watched as Zorel covered his face with his hands. he shook his head and mumbled beneath his fingers.

“yes, it was Katie from my math class alright. so please stop” he shook his head, hands still covering his face, but not enough she couldn’t see how red he was getting.

“okay okay.” She assured him, though how could she not laugh a little. In the back of her mind, she realized just how old she was getting that her son was talking about girls. He was certainly not the little boy playing with Legos in their living room anymore.

“so is it like a crush or?” she asked when he put his hands down. the last comment made his cheeks flush, looking out the window as he shook his head.

“you’re the worst” he told her, but his mouth was curved upwards ever so slightly.

“its what parents do sometimes” Kara shrugged and Zorel let out a bark of a laugh. It was brief as he then sighed.

“apparently”

With the end of the conversation, they finally made it to the park. She found a nice little spot in the parking lot and looked around. The park was empty, save for a couple playing with their daughter at the small playground.

Double checking the area, Kara stood behind their car and ripped her glasses off. her suit materialized around her quickly and she crouched down.

“okay wait here, ill be back in a couple seconds” she shot off, the car next to her shaking from the force of her jump. She flew quick though not sonic boom quick. She was in a rush, partly cause she wanted to hurry, but also to consult her wife.

The plan was still on after all. Any information they could get on what in the world was going on between their two eldest would be immensely helpful.

Zorel stared up at the sky as his mom flew off. who knew how many times he had seen her do the exact same thing over the years. Not many were privileged enough to see Supergirl in person, let alone have her take you to school and tuck you in at night.

After a couple seconds, he looked down at his watch. Surely she should have made it and come back by now? What could take her this long that she could be gone for almost thirty seconds?

As if on cue, there was a woosh beside him and the cars shook again. Looking to his left, Jeju was standing there, gloves in hand as she fixed her hair that was covering her face.

“I think you’re getting slower Jeju. I know you can go faster than that” he smirked. She seemed a little out of breath but he knew that it couldn’t have been from the flight.

“oh well you know I had to make a pit stop in the kitchen” with a grin, she pointed to her cheek, where there was a giant red lipstick mark. There was actually a few, and if he wasn’t mistaken, her own lips match. But Jeju doesn’t wear lipstick, only Mom does.

_Guess mom and the others are home_ he cringed.

“oh gross. Just give me my glove” he scrunched up his face and snatched his glove, pulling it on as his Jeju began laughing, all the while trying to get the lipstick off.

He took a few steps away, baseball in hand. He threw the ball in his glove a few times as he waited for his Jeju to get hers on. She fumbled around for a bit, dropping the glove in the grass.

Zorel rolled his eyes but with a smile got into position. She finally had her glove on and put her hands up.

“okay bring it on! But not too hard, someone might see” he nodded and brought his arm back, sending it forward at a regular human pace and let go. The ball whizzed past and right into his mom’s glove.

She grabbed the ball and tossed it up a couple of times, her face focused.

“okay sorry If this first one is hard, you know its been awhile since we’ve played catch” she stood sideways, bringing her glove to her chest and taking the ball out. She huffed and put her arm up, following the same movements as him as she sent her arm out.

The ball spun way faster than it should have, Zorel putting his glove in front of his chest. The ball slammed into his glove, spinning and causing little puffs of smoke. His feet dragged a little in the grass as the force sent him back a foot.

“oops. You okay?” she went to run over but Zorel shook it off, grabbing the smoking ball from his glove and throwing it in the air a few times.

“yeah, jeez Jeju. Talk about a fastball” he laughed, examining the ball closely. It had even torn a bit!

“safe to say I'm a little rusty huh?” she told him sheepishly holding her glove out and rubbing her neck with her free hand. He threw the ball lightly, gently landing in her glove.

Things passed calmly after that, his Jeju getting the hang of how hard she could throw, no longer almost setting anything on fire. He could tell something was off about her though. Just the look on her face, a mix of curious and sneaky that he had seen plenty of times.

When she was organizing a surprise for his moms birthday, when she was secretly planning a trip to Disneyland or brought him ice cream. His mother may be a superhero, but she was anything but sneaky.

“you know, just thinking about school and stuff. How has it been, having your brother there with you?” Zorel tried not to look like a dear in the headlights at that.

His mother may be terrible at being sneaky, but he was also his mother’s son. He’s a terrible liar, he knows that and so does basically everyone at this point.

He would rather to keep his initial treatment of his new ‘brother’ to himself. He couldn’t kid himself, he was being an asshole to him. he just couldn’t help it. Connor terrified him. not cause of his ability, Zorel is also a super after all. No, it was the things he reminded him of that terrified him.

He watched the footage, seen what Connor did to Jeju. It wasn’t pretty. He was like a god unchained. It brought up memories, and was similar to another event in his life, one he didn’t fully remember.

Mom tried to hide it from him, and when Jeju came back they both did. They blocked and took down any evidence they could of that day, months before he was born. But a few years ago, when everyone was asleep, he looked up the fight with Doomsday all those years ago.

It was grainy, taken from far above as a film crew in a helicopter carefully captured it from almost a mile away with a good lens. You could only just make out the unmistakable red and blue but Zorel knew that blonde hair well. As well as the red stains all over her old suit.

They caught most of the fight, even if it was hard to tell what exactly was happening. But he didn’t need the in depth details to know how it ended.

For almost 5 years, his Jeju was dead. Leaving him and his mother on their own. Connor was a reminder that something like that wasn’t just a onetime deal. Someone could kill her again, but this time he would be ready.

Its why he had to be a hero. Why he had to take her place. He couldn’t bear to have to live through that all over again. This time it wasn’t just him and Lena. He had Lori and Lyle, and even if he clenched his teeth at it, Connor needed her too.

He was still conflicted about Connor. His feelings toward him were difficult to describe. For him, it felt so up and down. sometimes, he felt terrible for being mean to him, others he felt justified.

It was difficult to be kind with what he symbolizes to him, but at the same time he deserved the kindness he could give. Its why he gave him the nightlight, but also why he still doesn’t want to hang out with him. he knows he should be consistent, that he should talk, hang out with him even. He just feels like he’s fighting himself whenever it relates to Connor.

So, that’s why, at his mother’s question, he just shrugged.

“oh. Um well you know. Its whatever.” He rolled his shoulders and threw the ball again, trying not to watch his Jeju’s face.

“so you don’t really mind?” she sounded confused and Zorel just shook his head.

“not anymore” he whispered into his shoulder as he caught the ball thrown at him. he should know by now whispering doesn’t work around her.

“what was that?” he gulped, looking back at Jeju and smiling as best he could.

“I said nah. We haven’t run into each other too much, what with him with Mae all the time.” That was convincing right?

“ah right. And the two of you don’t share classes either.” She pointed out, though she didn’t seem completely convinced.

_Gotta cover myself!_

“yeah no. just quick hi and bye kind of thing” he waved his hand around, hoping to distract from the complete bullshit that just came out. He hated lying but he wanted to deal with his issue himself. He wasn’t ready to share yet, especially not the root cause of it being he’s utterly terrified to be without her again.

If she didn’t believe him, she didn’t make it known. She just nodded and looked around the park.

“maybe next time the two of you should come here and play catch. He can play with you while me and Lena go over there with the twins.” She pointed at the playground on the far side of the park, where a couple was playing with their little girl.

“how’s that sound?” she asked. His eyes were still on the playground when he answered.

“Connor doesn’t know how” he said with probably too much attitude.

“good thing he’s always so eager to learn” she countered, Zorel staring at her. he watched her closely as she came closer, an arm going around his shoulder.

“so what do you say? Next weekend we come back with the whole fam bam?”

“no one says that anymore” he cringed, but she wouldn’t budge, shaking her head and looking out over the park again.

“not the point”

“fine. I’ll show him” he huffed, already preparing himself for facing Connor and teaching him how to properly throw.

“there's the spirit! And ill sweeten the deal while I'm at it. we’ll get big belly after” she clapped him on the back and stepped away, swiping the baseball from him as she did so.

“you really know how to speak my language Jeju” he watched as she plopped down on the grass, crossing her legs and leaning back. You wouldn’t know just looking at her that she was the strongest person on the planet, with a whole world on hers shoulders.

He wondered briefly if he was ready for that, to have millions of people depending on you, watching you as you did your best to save the world. It was a lot of pressure. He shook it off. he wasn’t a hero yet afterall.

“cause we Kryptonians all speak the same one when it comes to our stomachs” she patted her belly with a happy sigh. He crouched down and sat with her, looking up at the blue sky. There were a few clouds, and he watched them float by as he answered. A light breeze ran over his face as he sat there, soaking in the sun with his Jeju.

“true”

“you know, I'm really glad you’re being so go with the flow with your brother.” Zorel tensed up at that. if only she knew all the shitty stuff he’s said to him, she wouldn’t think that.

“he’s had it rough you know? Everything Lex did to him for all those years.” She shook her head and Zorel knew he could just see the beginning of a tear in her eyes.

“I'm just glad you’re being more open about it now” that one made him feel guilty. If only he was everything she thought he was being.

“I know it was tough at first. what with what happened at the start.” He felt his own eyes begin to betray him at that. he sniffed, hoping to keep any stray tears at bay. Her next sentence made it almost impossible to not let something slip.

“I know it brought up a lot of painful things for you, from when I wasn’t….around” ‘around’, like she just went on a trip for 5 years. If only she knew just how much everything he was struggling with now led back to that.

“and I'm sorry for not thinking more of that in all this.” She frowned as she looked at him, a long tear slipping down his cheek. He wiped it roughly and clutched his glove between his hands.

“I know we’ve never really talked about it, but if you ever want to open up more about that, you just let me and your mom know” she told him in a low voice. He wasn’t ready for that, if he ever would be. That subject might just always be raw for him.

“I just want us all to be on the same page you know? We have to stick together. El Mayarah remember?”

“yeah…El Mayarah” he had almost forgot about that old moto in all this. A saying passed down for generations in the House of El. Would their ancestors be disappointed in him over this? How he was treating Connor, that sure wasn’t El Mayarah. He wasn’t being who his parents raised him to be, and Connor made it obvious.

How could he be a hero when he treats his brother like crap? How could people depend on him to save them, when his own brother couldn’t rely on him?

Something had to change, he had to make it so, even if he had to force himself to love Connor.

“I love you Zorel. With all my heart. so does your mom. You know that right?”

“don’t worry Jeju. I do.” He croaked, Jeju making no comment on it, just rubbing his back.

“good. Good” she stood up, wiping off the back of her pants as she pointed to the playground.

“now, I don’t know about you but I really want to go on those swings over there” Zorel smiled up at her, nodding as he jumped up. he broke out into a run, looking over his shoulder.

“race you!”

“okay billionaire boy. We have a mission to complete” Mae told him seriously as they stepped up to the local hobby store inside the mall. Mae was like a general, hands on her hips as she stared down the entrance.

“you got the list?” she told him, eyes not leaving the store.

“yup. All the supplies right here” he patted his trusty notebook, a list of things they needed studiously written down on Mae’s request. It was a modest list, if two pages was modest. Mae said she didn’t want to miss anything.

“alright. operation new mural is underway!” she shouted, a hand pointing up in the air, face pulled up in determination. Connor giggled, earning a glare from Mae.

“oh its got a name now?” he joked, Mae gently shoved him, taking a step into the store.

“every great operation needs a name Connor, hello?” she told him, like it was impossible for it not to have a name. he nodded, looking down one of the isles.

“oh right my bad” he laughed, looking at the list as they walked.

“stick with me Connor, you’ll learn a thing or two” she smiled back at him, and for a moment, Connor thought his heart was skipping beats.

_No, stop that!_ he yelled in his mind. since they had started this project, Connor was feeling more weird feelings every time they were together. He knew nothing about them, so he thought it best to stay safe and lock them tightly up inside him.

That didn’t mean they didn’t occasionally make an appearance without his permission. _Way_ too often.

“okay sensei Mae” He chuckled and bowed at her as they stopped in front of some canvases. Mae looked at him amused and grabbed his hand gently before letting go. Connor just knew his face was red but luckily she wasn’t looking as she walked down the isle.

“I knew you liked those samurai movies we watched the other day” she joked, brushing his hand again. He gulped but was luckily able to keep moving without tripping over anything.

“hm. I can get used to that” she mumbled, eyeing the items for sale. Connor stood behind her as she turned away from the canvases and back at him.

“okay so what's first?” she asked and he just held out the list. She examined it and nodded, walking off like she had the layout memorized. They weren’t walking for long as they approached the paint isle.

Mae threw her hands up and closed her eyes, smiling wide as she spun around. Connor dodged her hands laughing. When she stopped spinning, she put her hands to her chest and sighed.

“man I love this place. Don’t you just love the smell of it?” he looked around and took a deep whiff with his nose. He scrunched up and shook his head.

“smells like paint”

“exactly!” she cried, jumping up in place. She quickly gathered herself, back in focused Mae mode with her hands back on her hips.

“okay so, we need some primer. I think that's over here” she pointed down the isle ahead of them. Connor nodded but some movement at the far end of the shop caught his attention.

“I'm thinking white, what do you say Connor?”

Mae’s voice was drowned out by his own thoughts. A man was standing at the far end of the walkway, and if Connor wasn’t mistaken, he was watching him. he was wearing all black, with a baseball cap and a pair of dark sunglasses.

Looking at him, it was like everything was narrowing down to just him and the mysterious stranger. He seemed familiar, but before Connor could try and piece it together, the man disappeared behind a rack.

“Connor?” Mae waved a hand in front of his face, concern on her own.

“huh? Oh sorry, I think you’re right” He shook his head and looked at her nodding. He missed most of what she asked but oh well. Mae just stared at him for a moment, but then nodded hesitantly and grabbed his hand again.

“okay then on to the next one!” she yelled as they made their way through the store together. Before they knew it, Connor had become the pack mule, struggling to carry their stuff as Mae grabbed more and more tings. As she handed him one last paint brush set, Connor spoke up from behind the stack of stuff.

“I think we might need a cart or something” he mumbled, trying to keep a brush from falling in his mouth. Mae looked him up and down and nodded, putting a finger up.

“I got it. just wait here” she walked off, leaving him on his own. He looked around the store, reading some of the labels of the things for sale when he spotted him again, that man.

He was walking past him, a smirk on his face as he adjusted his cap. The man gave Connor a weird ‘vibe’, as Mae would say. That vibe being just plain odd. He disappeared again and Connor was left to wonder if that was simply a coincidence.

Mae came back, a small cart in hand.

“okay so what else?” Connor used his head to point to the list stuck under his arm. She snatched it up, checking things off the list and then closing the book.

“I think we got everything! Why don’t we check out then maybe we could look around the other stores” she began to take everything from his arms and put it in the cart. With his arms free, the two made their way to checkout.

There they saw a young man, probably around their age. He had tan skin and his hair in aggressive curls around his face. his hair was bleached, though it looked like it was staring to come out. They smiled at him and he smiled back, taking their cart when they set it on the counter.

“did you find everything okay?” he asked, pressing some buttons on his register, Mae answered him excitedly.

“yeah we did!” Connor nodded his agreement and the boy, he now realized by his nametag was named Manny, hummed.

“nice. Let me just ring this stuff up for you”

“what are you guys working on?” he asked as he looked at everything they were buying. It was mostly paint, with a few rollers and brushes thrown in.

“a mural. My parents have this wall they let me use and Connor here is helping me.” She pointed at him with her thumb. The boy’s eyes widened.

“oh wow. That sounds like fun” he told them in a bit of an excited tone.

“It should be” Connor answered. Once everything was rung up, Manny told them the price and Connor dug around in his pocket. He handed him the card and Manny stared at the sleek black of it.

“woah, I’ve never seen a card like this before.” He looked at the card, front and back, like it was a strange anomaly. Mae nudged him with an elbow.

“yeah he’s got friends in high places” Manny chuckled at that and swiped the card. When it went through, Connor put in the numbers like Kara told him and they were handed everything in Mae’s reusable bags.

“alright here you go, have a nice day” he waved, and they waved back as they walked out.

“you too! Come on Connor, lets call your mom, and maybe get a hotdog cause I'm starving” Mae grabbed his hand, tugging him to the direction of the food court. He Squeezed back gently, his heart speeding up.

Maybe he would ask Lena or Kara about this weird feeling in his stomach. They feel like butterflies. Maybe they could fix it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: an update on the investigation and Connor has questions

**Author's Note:**

> hit me up at geralt-of-fking-rivia on tumblr if youve got some prompts or anything, i dont bite swear


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